Saturday Stats: Stimulus, Stimulus, Stimulus
Posted July 11, 2020 in eNews
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 with our partners at the Ohio Organizing Collaborative. Check out Will talking about the importance of supporting child care on Cleveland’s News 5.
Millions: That’s how many Ohioans count on Medicaid for treatment when they’re sick and preventative care to stay well. Governor DeWine has already cut Medicaid once during the pandemic. Without a surge in federal funding, he may cut even further. People could lose health coverage right when they need it most. Tell Sens. Brown and Portman to boost federal support for Medicaid in the next stimulus.
36%: This week, even though more people than ever are struggling to make ends meet, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) scrapped protections against exploitative payday lending. Project Director Kalitha Williams says policymakers should institute a 36% interest rate cap to protect Ohio families.
Over 200: That’s how many people participated in ReImagine Appalachia listening sessions. Reimagine Appalachia is a coalition of labor, policy experts and community leaders. We have come together to make sure that no matter what we look like or the size of our bank account, everyone who lives in the region can have a good job, is cared for, and can put down roots for the future. We’re getting ready for the campaign’s public launch and would love to hear from other organizations with a stake in the region. If you represent such an organization and want to weigh in on our policy framework, please reach out to Annie Regan at reimagine.appalachia@gmail.com. Our public rollout will be Tuesday, July 21st
$600: At the end of July, many Ohio families will have $600 less each week to make ends meet if Congress cuts the Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program. Join a conversation with Senator Sherrod Brown and the Ohio Organizing Collaborative as we call on Congress to take action!
$1 billion: Research Director Zach Schiller and Senior Project Director Wendy Patton identified $1 billion that is currently going toward tax breaks for special interests and tax cuts for the wealthy few. We’d like to see Gov. DeWine and state lawmakers tap into those resources rather than suck important funding from our schools, hospitals and communities.
17 months: It took nearly a year and a half, but the Senate finally passed Senate Bill 3, which reclassifies certain low-level drug possession crimes as misdemeanors. If it passes the House, fewer people will be incarcerated– which is great news in the middle of a pandemic that’s spreading like wild fire in Ohio’s prisons.
1.3 million: That’s how many Ohioans applied for unemployment compensation (UC) between March and May--and many were left waiting for weeks to receive their benefits. That’s unacceptable. The Ohio House of Representatives passed a bill, which among other things would create a committee to report on the UC system. Instead of acting with the urgency the situation demands, the Senate has allowed the bill to languish. Zach joined our friends at the OOC to call on the Senate to act. The Plain Dealer Editorial Board agrees.