Depending on the university in question, between 10 and 40 percent of all college graduates in Ohio have chosen to leave the state to pursue jobs and lives elsewhere. Recently, GQP lawmakers took notice of this trend and decided to finally address it. They want the students their public schools have educated to remain in Ohio because Ohio stands to lose roughly 11% of their current population, which will leave them with some of the most mentally challenged residents the state has to offer.
As usual, the GQP offered their only solution to most issues: tax cuts. To entice students to stay in Ohio, state Rep. John Cross introduced several monetary solutions on Monday to Ohio’s ‘brain drain.’ One of which, would allow recent graduates to forgo income taxes for three years. Another idea would help Ohio employers by subsidizing 30% of paid wages for students internships, apprenticeships, and co-ops.
“The challenge is to retain them,” he said. “Often we educate these bright minds and they leave our state because there are opportunities that they see as advantageous at that stage of their career.”
But, some students never cited lack of jobs or high taxes as reasons for bailing the state. They claimed their reason for leaving Ohio has everything to do with GQP policies. The state has done little to address gun control, passed numerous anti choice bills, and offers no protection for LGBTQ residence.
Ohio is not the only state offering incentives to keep college students. Oklahoma has offered tax credits to certain students. Kansas repays students loans for those who move to rural areas but like Ohio, state lawmakers have failed to see that their own policies have created their most educated residents to bail and take their talents elsewhere.
