· November 26, 2013

In October, Ohio’s economy continued to lag rest of nation

New data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) paints a picture of a continued stall in Ohio’s economy. BLS and Ohio Jobs and Family Services found that not only did Ohio’s unemployment rate tick up to 7.5%, but that compared to October, 2012, in October, Ohio grew jobs by a dismal .53%.  Over the last year, North Dakota led all states by growing 3.53 percent while Ohio ranked 44^th – only five other states grew more slowly over the last 12 months. [dciframe]http://public.tableausoftware.com/views/Oct_JobGrowth/Dashboard1?:embed=y&:display_count=no,600,800,0,auto,align:left;[/dciframe] In the two months since the August report, Ohio has only added 2,600 jobs, far below the amount needed to recover the jobs lost in during the recession. This report appears to poke more holes in the so-called “Ohio Miracle” that Governor Kasich and his allies frequently refer to.  While the state has seen private sector job growth since Gov. Kasich took office, during that time funding cuts to local communities and schools may have contributed to job losses in the public sector that have been a drag on the overall state economy. In light of the growing body of evidence pointing to a stalling economy, lawmakers should consider restoring these cuts and expand investments into programs and communities that will lead to real economic growth for Ohioans.