Saturday stats: Stimulus suspense
$600: Millions of Americans are in limbo waiting to find out if Congress will extend the $600 a week that’s helping them make ends meet and keeping the economy running. The Senate Republican proposal cuts critical support to more than half a million jobless Ohioans. Wendy Patton called on Congress to extend Federal Pandemic Unemployment […]
Saturday Stats: Policy by the numbers
100*: Number of organizations that have signed on to the Reimagine Appalachia blueprint, the massive, four-state project helmed by Senior Researcher Amanda Woodrum. The policy platform outlines a “New Deal that Works for Us,” prioritizing good union jobs in a 21st century economy centered on creating a healthy, sustainable future for the Ohio River Valley […]
Saturday Stats: Stimulus, Stimulus, Stimulus
204,000: If Congress doesn’t allocate enough support in the next stimulus bill, Ohio could lose 204,000 child care slots, according to a report by Budget Researcher Will Petrik. That’s why the next federal stimulus package must contain at least $50 billion to support the child care industry. We released the report at a press conference […]
Saturday Stats: Policy by the numbers
13 so far: Number of hearings held by Ohio’s Senate Judiciary Committee for testimony on SB 3, a bill that would overhaul our drug sentencing laws. The bill has languished for more than a year and remains stuck in committee. Senior Researcher Amanda Woodrum and Digital Communications Manager Ben Stein used that time to co-write […]
Saturday stats: Covid-19 updates
Staggering new jobless numbers: COVID-19 is taking a huge toll on the Ohio economy and the lives of working people and families throughout the state. This week, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) reported that jobless claims reached 272,117 for the week ending March 28, up 84,328 from the prior week’s record […]
Saturday Stats: COVID-19 Updates
The COVID-19 crisis has laid bare some inescapable truths: Everything is connected and every person matters. Now is the time to fight harder than ever to make sure everyone is protected and cared for: No exceptions. 269: Any Ohioan paid less than $269 a week won’t be eligible for unemployment compensation if they get laid […]
Saturday stats: Can you take the heat?
41: That’s how many days are left until we roast our founder, Amy Hanauer, in honor of Policy Matters’ 20th anniversary! Tickets are now on sale. 0.3%: Ohio jobs grew by 0.3% last year compared to the nation, which added 1.4% more jobs in 2019. Michael Shields says new data revisions show that 2019 was […]
Saturday stats: Hello Hannah!
2nd: This week we officially announced our second-ever executive director, Hannah Halbert! Hannah has been with Policy Matters for nearly 10 years, and most recently oversaw our work and wages research. She’s a smart and dynamic leader and we are so excited to see where she takes us! Get to know Hannah by reading her […]
Saturday stats: Raise the wage, protect our care
1.4 million: The proposal to raise Ohio’s minimum wage to $13 by 2025 would make sure 1.4 million Ohioans are paid more fairly for the work they do, according to a new report from Researcher Michael Shields. It would also benefit more than half a million children and take important steps toward addressing racial and […]
Saturday Stats: Let’s get to work
268: Ohio Senate Bill 3 would open up opportunities for people who have struggled with addiction. Michael Shields found the bill would remove 268 legal barriers to jobs and professional licensing that hold people back even after they’ve paid their debt to society. However, the bill only applies to future convictions, so it won’t help […]
Saturday Stats: 2020 Vision
1,200: EdChoice vouchers suck money from public schools and give it to private schools. Next year, 1,200 public schools will lose revenue due to this policy, up from 238 schools last year. Lawmakers said they’ll find ways to rein in the program by February 1st. Piet van Lier offers seven ideas for how they can […]
Saturday Stats: 20 years isn’t long enough
20: That’s how many years Amy Hanauer has spent running Policy Matters Ohio after she helped found the organization in 2000. You can hear her reflect on her tenure on WCPN’s “The Sound of Ideas.” In January, she will begin her new role as Executive Director of Washington D.C.-based Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy […]