Posted on 10/16/18 by Ben Stein (he/him) in Justice Reform
Virgil Pittman was going to be a teacher. He was 19, had graduated from Cleveland’s John F. Kennedy high school. He was taking classes at Cuyahoga Community College. It was 1995, the height of America’s “War on Drugs.” So, when Garfield Heights police caught Virgil with half a joint, they didn’t cite him—they cuffed him. Though it was his first offense, and though possession of small quantities of marijuana has been classified as a “minor misdemeanor” in Ohio since 1975, he was charged with a felony. He spent six months in Lancaster Penitentiary. “Gladiator school,” he calls it. “It was... read more
Posted on 10/03/18 by Victoria Jackson in Education & Training
Student loan debt is crushing Ohioans, who owe a combined $57 billion.
On average, Ohio undergraduate students who attend public universities and community colleges borrow $23,116 and $15,767, respectively. Students in Ohio struggle more with student... read more
Posted on 09/26/18 by in Basic Needs + Unemployment Insurance
Weekend economists on talk radio sometimes praise the sanctity of the “free market.” But some markets work better when states get involved with them. A great example is the child care market.
Indulge me in a... read more
Posted on 09/20/18 by Wendy Patton in Revenue & Budget
Like the rest of the 2017 federal tax plan, the Opportunity Zone program will reduce taxes for wealthy people – but if done right, it could spark the revitalization of some of Ohio’s distressed communities.
Under... read more
Posted on 09/19/18 by Hannah Halbert (she/her) in Revenue & Budget
It's debate time in the Ohio race for governor!
The debate will be held September 19, 7pm at the University of Dayton; October 1, 7pm at Marietta College; and October 8, 7pm at Cleveland State University.... read more
Posted on 07/25/18 by Intern Writer in Local Sustainability
By Brett Litzler, Policy Matters Intern
[image:1]
I'm an undergraduate at Ohio State, but when I'm not in school, I live in my parent's home in Avon Lake, a town on Cleveland's west side where I went... read more
Posted on 06/05/18 by Intern Writer in Education & Training
By Brynn Williams
Graduating high school is an exciting but stressful rite of passage. One of the hardest parts of senior year is going through the college process. Picking a school that fits you is important.... read more
Posted on 05/31/18 by Kalitha Williams in Consumer Protection + Asset Building
Last week, President Donald Trump revived Jim Crow-era lending practices when he signed a resolution that makes it harder to hold accountable car lenders that charge people of color more for car loans than white... read more