Ohio lawmakers introduce JobsOhio Transparency Act after OSU president’s resignation, JobsOhio not doing its job

Proposed legislation aims to increase the transparency and accountability of JobsOhio, an often-criticized government-created economic development agency funded by profits from the sale of spirituous liquor in Ohio.

State Reps. Justin Pizzulli, R-Scioto County, and Tristan W. Rader, D-Lakewood, introduced the JobsOhio Transparency Act after Ted Carter resigned from his job as president of The Ohio State University, after he “disclosed to trustees that he had an inappropriate relationship with someone” — now identified as podcaster Krisanthe Vlachos — “seeking public resources to support her personal business.”

According to the release, the proposed legislation would require JobsOhio “to publicly disclose every corporate sponsorship or media partnership” on an annual basis, as well as requiring “the Auditor of the State to audit JobsOhio every two years and submit that audit to the Governor, Speaker, Senate President, and Minority Leaders.”

“The state created JobsOhio to create jobs in Ohio using liquor revenues that belong to Ohioans,” Rader said in a release. “Every dollar JobsOhio spends should be in the service of that goal, but recent revelations have cast serious doubt on whether that is the case.”

JobsOhio, which is exempt from public records and meeting laws, is funded by profits from the JobsOhio Beverage System, or JOBS, liquor enterprise, which it bought from the state in 2013. Its operating revenues in 2024 were $1.8 billion.

In the release, the lawmaker said that Ohio’s “multi-billion-dollar liquor franchise should be creating good-paying jobs for everyday Ohioans, not catering to the whims of the wealthy and well-connected.”

“The resignation of former OSU President Ted Carter is a national embarrassment, and Ohioans deserve answers about JobsOhio’s involvement,” he said.

According to reports, Carter, 66, appeared on the podcast multiple times, dating back to at least April 2024.

Critics say that despite its budget, JobsOhio hasn’t helped resurrect the Buckeye State’s economy, prompting criticism from politicians like Rader, who previously said in a release that “JobsOhio operates behind a wall of secrecy, using public dollars without the oversight Ohio taxpayers deserve.”

“The people of Southern Ohio deserve a fair shake from JobsOhio, and even after a years-long relationship full of promises, communities like mine have yet to see the job creation or investment they deserve,” Pizzulli said in a release. “There must be public accountability and real transparency to deliver results for our constituents.”

Despite the concerns, in February 2025, the Ohio Controlling Board voted to renew JobsOhio’s liquor profits lease for another 15 years, even though it didn’t expire until 2038. As a result of that, JobsOhio was required to pay nothing for over $10 billion in additional future liquor profits, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said in a letter at the time.

JobsOhio has acknowledged paying $60,000 to sponsor four episodes of “The Callout” podcast, but only one was delivered. The agency previously said it is trying to recoup its money. In his release, Rader alleged that the podcast only had “137 views prior to former President Carter’s resignation.”

The legislation would also require “the Chief Investment Officer of JobsOhio to testify annually before the Ohio House and Senate Finance Committees to explain how funding has been distributed to projects in counties across the State of Ohio” and prohibit the Controlling Board from approving “any future extension or restructuring of the liquor profit/franchise arrangement,” instead requiring the General Assembly to do that after “an independent valuation and at least one public hearing” are conducted.

“JobsOhio has also sought to demonstrate this commitment in recent days through our swift and transparent disclosure of JobsOhio’s interactions with entities associated with former Ohio State President Ted Carter,” JobsOhio Press Secretary Matt Englehart told NBC 4.

Separately, The Ohio State University appointed Ravi V. Bellamkonda as its 18th president, ignoring Republican lawmakers’ suggestion to hire Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel. The school has since named Trevor Brown, dean of the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, as its new interim executive vice president and provost.