Cordray Preliminary Inventory Identifies Valuable Unused State Property

One of the key initiatives espoused by Rich Cordray (D-Grove City) in his campaign for State Treasurer is a statewide inventory of unused and uncatalogued state property. Today he announced that his preliminary inventory of just 20 counties has turned up 446 parcels of unused state-owned real estate that could be sold for private development or community use.

Cordray's team looked at a total of 7,364 parcels of property in this initial study, according to the newspaper item. Among the ones that Cordray figures could be sold is a 12 acre plot on McKinley Avenue in Columbus where prisoners quarried stone to build the Statehouse. It is valued at about $312,000.

Cordray commented that years of "disorganization and lack of accountability" means the state does not even know all of the property that it owns. Just imagine the revenue and cost-savings that could ultimately result from finding that out. It's called good government.