Monday, July 25, 2005

Thursday, July 21, 2005

In 1970, Ohio had one of the lowest tax burdens in the Union - it now has one of the highest. As of 2005, the state's tax burden, as estimated by the Tax Foundation, is 35.8% higher than it was in 1970, the largest increase in the nation over this period.

Since 1970, Ohio's share of the nation's personal income has declined from roughly 5.3% to under 3.8% today. In the first quarter of 2005, Ohio had the fifth highest unemployment rate in the U.S. at 6.2% versus the overall unemployment rate of 5.3%. Meager Ohio employment growth of 0.3% through the first quarter placed the state third-to-last nationally, far behind the U.S. overall rate of 1.7%.

State-to-state migration shows Ohio losing residents, while total population growth of 0.2% ranks it a dismal 47th in the nation.

Even following Ohio's new budget, state and local taxes continue to place Ohio in an uncompetitive position.

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

A new report from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that Cleveland's population has shrunk to its lowest level since 1900.

In the same time, Cincinnati lost 5.2 percent, Cleveland lost 3.9 percent, Dayton lost 3.6 percent and Toledo lost 2.8 percent.

Youngstown saw the largest decline, dropping 5.3 percent of its population.

the German government looks forward to working with Timken and was not concerned about his lack of experience or ties to the Republican Party.

Timken does not speak German

The figure of 5.216 million people, or 12.6% of the working-age population, is the highest jobless rate in Europe's biggest economy since the 1930s.

Ask Me About Cleveland

By SARAH VOWELL
Published: July 20, 2005

I would rather not spend the next Election Day the way I spent the last one: wondering just how much to hate Ohio.

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

It's a little known fact among average Ohioans: The same river valley that once made westward expansion and prosperity a reality in America is today home to the country's most dense source of air pollution. From Cincinnati, Ohio, to Pittsburgh, Pa., 42 major coal-fired power plants dot the Ohio River Valley region - more per square mile than anywhere else in the nation. Though it's created an economic windfall, the industry also has fueled environmental problems in the form of smog, acid rain, and haze - not only in Ohio, scientists say, but across the country.

Cleveland is now America's poorest big city, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

With this recent, unwelcome designation, Cleveland moved ahead of Detroit, Newark, N.J., and Miami, America's most impoverished city the previous four years.

Cleveland's poverty rate of 31.3 percent is about double that of Pittsburgh, which was 37th on the Census Bureau list.

Midtown is one of four Cleveland neighborhoods with pockets where the poverty rate soars from 62 percent to 100 percent. The others are Fairfax, Glenville and Hough.

the high-paying manufacturing jobs that once sustained people in these neighborhoods have mostly vanished.

One out of every 1,000 Ohioans has been diagnosed with MS. This is one of the highest incidence rates of any disease, anywhere.

Ohio ranks right down there with states like Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.

So, why is it so important to track a state's percentage of college graduates?
"Because they are a foundation of our future income,"
"There is a relationship between the level of wages and educational attainment. People who are better educated are more productive."

Yet, as bad as Ohio's numbers are, don't be surprised if they get worse: Leaders in state government seem intent on continuing the reckless underfunding of higher education.

Some students are being priced out of the higher education marketplace, which only threatens to erode Ohio's already-pathetic national standing.

None of the state schools in Ohio can be found in the top 50 national universities, as ranked annually by U.S. News & World Report.

What this tells us is that far too many Ohioans are paying Cadillac prices for Chevrolet quality.

Putnam County reported an average of 30 new breast cancer cases per year from 1997 to 2001, or 160.1 per 100,000 people, the highest rate in Ohio. In comparison, the average county in Ohio had 132, while the average in the United States was 135.2, according to the Ohio De-partment of Health Vital Statistics.
Putnam County also had the highest rate of ovarian cancer, 22.8 per 100,000 people, com-pared to 13.2 in the state and 13.9 in the nation.

The sponsor of Ohio's law allowing concealed weapons said Monday he wants the state to override local bans on types of guns, a move that would cancel Columbus' decision to outlaw assault weapons.

Columbus' ban is the reason the National Rifle Association decided Monday to drop the city from hosting its 2007 national convention, a top NRA official said.

The gun rights organization had planned to hold its annual three-day event drawing as many as 60,000 people at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.[...]

State Rep. Jim Aslanides, sponsor of the law permitting people to carry hidden guns, said local weapons bans should not be allowed because Ohioans should feel confident they are not breaking the law by carrying weapons through the state's cities and villages.

Such a law would supersede the Columbus ban, said Aslanides, a Coshocton Republican.

Monday, July 18, 2005

The lawyer for a state senator who is seeking records from Gov. Bob Taft in a $300 million state investment scandal said Thursday that he will seek help from the Ohio Supreme Court if Taft and five key aides continue to decline to give sworn statements in the case.

Sen. Marc Dann, a suburban Youngstown Democrat who has sued Taft, asked Attorney General Jim Petro's office to have Taft and the aides submit to depositions today.

If they continue to decline to do so, Dann will ask the Supreme Court either to compel them to be deposed or to delay the case until the issue is resolved, said Dann's lawyer, Frederick Gittes.