Just like every other major corporation that is flourishing in financial success, Ginther and this City Council will continue to ignore independent reports that the hundreds of millions of dollars handed out in tax abatements and TIF’s are counterproductive to the educational and social economic needs of Columbus school children and those who rely on social services. Two tax abatements are included on tonight’s City Council agenda. 

Core5 Columbus SW Building 1 & 2 LLC are owned by the 180-year-old Kajima Corporation’s U.S. division Kajima USA Inc. “Kajima Corp provides civil engineering and project management for multiple industries. It works in multiple phases, from planning and development to maintenance and renovation. The company constructs skyscrapers, power plants, office buildings, and other large structures.” The Kajima Corporation has a current market cap of $19 billion and 2025 net income of $1.1 billion.

These two tax abatement ordinances (3305 & 3306-2026) totaling $7.8 million to construct warehouses that will undoubtedly be approved this evening are no different than any of the dozens of other corporate welfare giveaways over the years that have been neglectfully handed out.

Council President and wannabe mayor Shannon Hardin recently attempted to display his concern for public education by countering Ginther’s refusal to fund Hardin’s “Columbus Promise” program in this year’s budget. Yet Hardin and his eight council followers continue to defund public education and social services on a regular basis at Monday City Council meetings. Which as we all know, leads to placing the burden of higher property taxes on homeowners, escalating rents and evictions, foreclosures, homelessness and additional ballot levies.   

U.S. News & World Report ranked Ohio 30th in education in 2025, and 38th overall in the nation. Ohio also ranks #41 in natural environment, #41 in higher education, #39 in economy, #34 in health care, #30 in crime and corrections, and #30 in infrastructure. It’s pretty clear that it is the rich and powerful who are truly benefitting from tax abatements and other tax incentives. Not the people of Ohio and Columbus.

If the Columbus Partnership wishes to be a “Partner” in improving the educational and overall needs of Columbus’s residents, then their 80-member organization should take a leadership position and set an example to others who wish to reap the benefits of locating in Columbus, by refusing to request these unnecessary tax incentives. Do they truly care about the overall prosperity and well-being of Central Ohio and its people or just their own bank accounts?