Saturday Stats
Posted August 27, 2022 in eNews
Numeric news from Policy Matters Ohio
Up to $20,000: This week, President Biden announced executive action to cancel some education debt and make other changes to federal loan programs. Hannah Halbert said the package could eliminate education debt for hundreds of thousands of Ohioans and reduce it by a large percentage for many more. Biden’s actions will not solve the education debt crisis, nor make higher education more affordable. Halbert said that will require more resources, raised by making sure the wealthy and corporations pay what they truly owe, and more commitment from leaders and those who push them — ceaselessly and tirelessly — to create an Ohio where all of us can thrive. You can check out our take on TikTok as well — and follow us!
85%: With new data showing that Ohio added 7,000 jobs last month, our state has restored 85% of jobs destroyed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In his monthly JobWatch report, Michael Shields says the quick recovery is driven in large part by a historic federal response. But we’re not fully recovered yet. Now that inflation is the chief economic concern, Shields said it’s important that the response doesn’t undercut our recovery. Policymakers at the Federal Reserve should slow or pause interest rate hikes until jobs are fully recovered in Ohio and all states.
One-third: About one-third of city of Cleveland’s General Fund supports the Cleveland Division of Police. When Clevelanders need emergency response for a mental health or behavioral health crisis, most of the time an armed law enforcement officer shows up. That can escalate tension and sometimes have deadly consequences. In a new report with the Center for Community Solutions and the Mental Health & Addiction Advocacy Coalition, Piet van Lier explained that dedicating public resources toward a “health-first” approach, often called a “care response,” can reduce police violence, get people the treatment they need, and free up officers for more pressing matters. Check out our Bree Easterling’s TikTok as well!
***STATE OF WORKING OHIO SNEAK PEAK***
Nearly $5 per hour: Amount by which Black men’s real wages have been pushed down by employers in the past 40 years! That’s just one of the findings of our upcoming report, State of Working Ohio 2022: New solutions for an inclusive recovery. As always, SOWO comes out on Labor Day — Sign up here to get notified as soon as it’s released!
Coming up:
If you are interested in learning more about how Cleveland can implement a non-police alternative response program, consider joining Policy Matters Ohio and REACH NEO on September 15 at 5:30 p.m. for an online community meeting. We’ll hear from city leaders in Cincinnati who recently started an alternative response pilot, and plan next steps. For more information about the meeting, and to register, contact Piet van Lier at pvanlier@policymattersohio.org.
Learn how to help families claim the 2021 Expanded Child Tax Credit! Join the Partnership for America’s Children and the Coalition for Human Needs on Tuesday, August 30th at 2 p.m. The webinar will be offered in English and Spanish. Also check out the ready-to-go outreach resources to help spread the word on social media and in your community.