INDIANA PARLEY

Aaron Baker, writing at his weblog, laments that his hometown of Van Wert, Ohio, didn't get chosen by Honda for its new assembly plant.

Mr. Baker is a summer intern in the office of U.S. Representative Mike Pence of Indiana. He is also the incoming student body president of Indiana Wesleyan University of Marion (IN).

However, there is no mistaking that he remains a Buckeye - a Honda-driving Buckeye, no less.

Yesterday it was announced that Honda is coming to Indiana. Honda was considering Van Wert, my hometown, as a potential site. I believe my town did everything it could, at least after Honda started considering my town. But I don’t think it had much to do with location or city politics. Rather, I feel the decision was set in motion months before Honda even started looking.

So who do I blame? I blame my state legislature, my governor, and bad economic policies.

Where did Ohio go wrong and Indiana go right? Let’s start with tax increases. Ohio raised taxes and what kind of message does that send to executives? Ohio raised taxes to deal with a difficult period in the economy. Instead of lowering expenditures and taxes, allowing the market to recover naturally, Ohio showed no fiscal self-control and my town is heartbroken for it today.

I’m devastated that Van Wert didn’t win. It would have meant everything to a small town’s local economy. However, I’m happy for Mitch Daniels, it’s really his administration’s win.