Five myths about the foreclosure crisis
The November elections yielded a new slate of policymakers across Ohio. Given that 2009 marked Ohio’s 15th straight year of record home foreclosure filings, it is critical that future policymakers spend more time on this issue. Given Cleveland’s dubious place at the epicenter of the foreclosure crisis, it is essential that our new county executive […]
Energy Bill means good jobs for Ohio
Effective climate legislation would give America a safer, more secure, and more balanced portfolio of energy sources while fostering new markets for new products. Northwest Ohio could be a big beneficiary. A measure sponsored by Sens. John Kerry (D., Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I., Conn.) would set a market-based cap and price on carbon pollution. […]
Revisit Ohio’s Tax Cuts
The State of Ohio, you may have heard, has a budget problem. The state budget will be billions of dollars short in the two years that start next July 1. It’s easy to attribute this problem to the economy, and that’s certainly part of it. But a big share of our shortfall is self-inflicted. In […]
Young, broke and on your own in Ohio
Ohio’s young adults are coming of age in a tough economy, ravaged by a deep recession and further damaged by 30 years of declining opportunity and security for all but the most highly educated and affluent. Economic opportunity for young Ohioans has expanded in some important areas — such as college enrollment and women’s earnings […]
Midwest plays role in energy legislation
There is unusual unanimity in the scientific community that global warming is real. There is less unanimity in political and business communities. Fears about climate change legislation are well publicized; less known is the extent to which concerns of the Midwest shaped the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. At the heart of […]
Clean Energy Act will create job opportunities
“This is a moment to create jobs in America.” One after another, the federal representatives spoke about climate change from the floor of the House, where they were engaged in an historic debate over the “American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.” The debate over the past three months has clarified the issues raised […]
10 Ways to reform the state budget
2 opinions on 10 ways to reform the state budget (part 1) 1. Restore the 7.5 percent state income-tax rate on income over $200,000 (it’s now 5.925 percent). Savings: $940 million* 2. Return other income-tax rates to 2007 levels, before the last two years of rate cuts. Savings: $1.38 billion** 3. Institute a 5 percent […]
What Ohio needs is a tax boost
Four years ago, the Ohio General Assembly ap proved the biggest overhaul of Ohio’s tax system in a generation. The income tax and business taxes were slashed in overall tax cuts worth more than $2 billion a year. The idea was to spur investment and jobs. As legislators meet in Columbus to decide how to […]
Invest in public transportation, and help revitalize Ohio
Public transportation is not a priority in Ohio’s $7.6 billion transportation budget. Habitually, we spend less than 1 percent of our state transportation dollars on public transit, giving us the low ranking of 40th in the nation for our relative commitment to transit. Per person, Indiana spends 3.6 times more, Michigan nearly 10 times more […]
Stimulus plan will help Ohio’s stressed families
The just-passed federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will relieve need and help halt the economic hurricane that is devastating Ohio. Lower-income families and distressed communities have been especially hard hit by layoffs and foreclosures and have fewer paths to recovery. The stimulus provides a long-overdue chance to make a down payment on a more […]
Ohio can do more for unemployed workers
For an economy in transition, retraining workers who have lost their jobs is one of the most important and promising roles government can play. A retrained workforce helps companies find the right employees, allows workers to be productive, and families to stay in the middle class. But, for the past eight years, Ohio’s retraining program […]
Tax Refund Loans Cost Ohio a Bundle
As the federal income tax deadline nears, be careful about running to the nearest tax shop to get your taxes done. Why? Well, many paid preparers can take a large chunk of your refund by charging preparation fees and persuading you to purchase refund-anticipation loans and insurance on your return. In 2004, more than 500,000 […]