The continuing questions surrounding transparency at JobsOhio came up again in a routine meeting about money that goes to an agency that partners with the controversial job-creating entity.
The Development Services Agency’s requests to the Controlling Board included money for loans it administers for the public-private entity JobsOhio. State Rep. and Ohio Democratic Party head Chris Redfern grilled the Development Services Agency about whether its funds could be audited by the state auditor.
“There are significant questions and while this may not be the venue for those questions – I don’t know what is – but this may not be the venue for those questions, nonetheless there are public dollars that are going to be invested into private entities,” says Redfern.
Republicans steered the questions back toward the specifics of the money being requested, and eventually the requests were approved. Auditor David Yost, who’s a Republican, issued a subpoena for JobsOhio’s records. But Gov. John Kasich and House Speaker Bill Batchelder, both also Republicans, have said that Yost does not have the authority to audit JobsOhio’s private dollars.