| State Representative Jon Cross (R-Kenton) is serving his third term in the Ohio House of Representatives, representing northwest Ohio's 83rd District, which includes Hancock, Hardin and portions of Logan counties.
Representative Cross is committed to keeping Ohio safer, stronger and open for business. Throughout his career, and today as a member of the Ohio House, he has been a leader of economic and workforce development, higher education and career readiness policy to support the demand of Ohio businesses large and small, as well as keeping Ohio competitive in developing the best workforce in America.
The Speaker has appointed Rep. Cross to chair the Ohio House Finance Subcommittee on Higher Education, as well as appointed as a Commissioner to the Midwestern Higher Education Compact. He's also been appointed to serve on the following Ohio House Committees of Economic and Workforce Development, Finance, Higher Education & Career Readiness and Insurance.
With a strong work ethic, Rep. Cross has sponsored 12 bills now signed into law, and secured more than $100 million for local school funding, safety grants, community projects, transportation improvements and infrastructure funding initiatives for the 83rd District during his first two terms in office.
As chairman of the Finance Subcommittee on Higher Education, Rep. Cross knows higher education is an economic engine that supports job creation, research and innovation. That's why he has been a champion for Ohio's universities, community colleges and career tech centers, and developing collaborative efforts between higher education and business.
Rep. Cross worked with college, community and business leaders to help craft a budget that invests in students and the careers of today and the future. This included more funding for Ohio's TechCred program, supporting short-term training courses or programs for students in specific industries or to pursue in-demand jobs. The budget also made a major investment in STEM scholarships, such as the Choose Ohio First program and an increase in student financial aid within the Ohio College Opportunity Grant.
Building on that work, Rep. Cross has proposed the GROW (Graduating and Retaining Ohio's Workforce) Ohio Act. House Bill 514 will help Ohio rebuild its population and future workforce with the creation of state incentives in partnership with Ohio's institutions of higher education and business.
The legislation offers four key incentives focused on college recruitment, degree advancement, business-education partnerships and workforce retention. It will help keep college graduates in Ohio and attract top students to Ohio schools.
In addition to his leadership on workforce issues, Rep. Cross has also worked to strengthen Ohio's business climate by improving the state's tax code and supporting small businesses. In the state budget, Cross secured passage of legislation authorizing a full or partial income tax deduction for capital gains received by investors in certain Ohio-based venture capital operating companies. He also co-authored Ohio's Business Fairness Act, House Bill 215, which allows businesses to remain open during the widespread presence of disease as long as they observe safety requirements. And Cross worked behind the scenes with JobsOhio to push for the passage of the "Mega Projects" legislation that helped Ohio land Intel, Honda and Ford's new manufacturing facilities.
Cross has fought to improve opportunity and quality of life in his native Northwest Ohio. He helped expand Ohio's rural industrial park loan program to support local job creation efforts, secured $45 million for the Eagle Creek Flood Basin project in Findlay, Ohio and worked to help fund vegetation removal from Indian Lake.
Prior to becoming a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, Rep. Cross served as the chief executive officer and economic development director for the Hardin County Chamber & Business Alliance. His career pathway has allowed him to obtain a vast amount of public and private sector work experiences and professional relationships throughout the United States in business, government, non-profit, real estate development and economic and workforce development.
Cross graduated from Kenton High School and earned his bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University. He and his wife Christina Cross, a practicing business attorney are loving parents of their two young boys Carson and Connor. |