It was to have expired in 1997, but the administration of Gov. George V. Voinovich delayed the day of reckoning for two years, pending a study. Last week, consultants from Cleveland State University released their final report to the advisory committee. The consultants found most of the incentive programs to be effective, especially a job-creation tax credit that requires the jobs to be produced before the credit is received. But the enterprise-zone program was rated marginal. . . .
Legislative leaders are in no mood to tangle with such a broad issue right now.
They are immersed in deregulating the electric utility industry, and that involves changing the way electric companies pay taxes. School revenues are at stake there, too. So they'll take one step at a time. And maybe not even that much. When enterprise zones work the way they are supposed to, they are valuable economic tools.