Saturday Stats: Numeric news from Policy Matters
Posted January 22, 2022 in eNews
8,800: New data show that Ohio employers added 8,800 jobs in December, marking the fourth straight month of job growth in the state. In this month’s JobWatch, Michael Shields says it’s more proof of the power of government to drive a rapid recovery.
141,000: Also in JobWatch, Michael reports that 141,000 Ohioans quit their jobs in November, while 50,000 were laid off or fired and 201,000 people were hired. The data show that most of the people who quit remained in the workforce – and moved to better jobs.
1.2 million: More than 1.2 million Ohio families received the expanded child tax credit. Most used it to buy groceries and pay bills. Because the Senate failed to pass the Build Back Better Plan before the end of the year, families didn’t receive the credit this month. Two Ohio parents talked to Will Petrik about how the monthly payments gave them peace of mind and helped them pursue their dreams — and about what losing it will mean for their families.
2: Our newly created TikTok account has two videos, including Jason Carter’s powerful testimony about the child tax credit. Please check them out and follow us on TikTok! Maybe we can even do a duet!
34,000: Speaking of TikTok… Caitlin Johnson used her personal account to make a video about the child tax credit. Somehow actress Rosario Dawson saw it on Twitter, shared it, and it ended up getting more than 34,000 views. Help it get some more by retweeting it!
1,000: We’re also upping our Youtube game and our videos just hit 1,000 views! We’d like to get to 1,000 subscribers, so please check us out there, too!
$1.7 billion: We joined our friends at Good Jobs First, West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, and Kentucky Center for Economic Policy in panning the West Virginia legislature’s move to rush through a $1.7 billion tax giveaway for steelmaker, the Nucor Corporation. It’s an example of corporations forcing states to compete in a race to the bottom that ends up siphoning public funds from schools, roads and other key public services.
11.5 million: Recent data from the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey show that 11.5 million people were behind on rent, and nearly half expected they’d be evicted within the next two months. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities explained that pandemic-related housing programs helped keep roofs over Americans’ heads, but even still, too many people can’t afford housing.
54% & 46%: The Ohio Supreme Court ruled that the state’s new legislative maps must reflect Ohio’s partisan make up: 54% of districts leaning Republican and 46% leaning Democratic. The maps approved by the Ohio Redistricting Commission didn’t pass muster, so it’s back to the drawing board. You can submit your official comments, make a pledge to testify and contact Gov. DeWine and the commissioners and tell them to get to work! You can also get up to speed on all the latest developments at the All on the Line Ohio monthly volunteer meeting and hone your testimony skills at their weekly workshops.
Coming up:
On January 27, the Black Appalachian Coalition (BLAC) will release their BLAC Paper, “Black Storytelling and Policymaking in Appalachia.” They’re pushing back on the whitewashed Appalachian narrative that erases the contributions of Black people. You can watch the 10 a.m. press conference via Facebook Live or sign up for the 1 p.m. webinar here!
Big corporations and the politicians they back often pit rural and urban communities against each other. But especially when it comes to climate change, our fates our bound up together. On January 31 at 12 p.m., ReImagine Appalachia will host “Building Bridges: Continuing the Conversation about Climate Change” to promote a dialogue between communities. Register on Facebook!
There is a slew of great upcoming events for folks interested in making sure students have the freedom to learn our true history. On January 26 at 6 p.m., the Ohio Student Association will host a workshop on writing effective op-eds. On Thursday, February 3 at 4 p.m., Honesty for Ohio Education will host a teach-in featuring 2021 Ohio Poet of the Year, Quartez Harris. The workshop will explore how Dr. Martin Luther King’s concept of a “beloved community” relates to a true understanding of our shared history.