Ohio Economy Continues Losing Streak

The Center for Community Solutions released a report showing that Ohio's job growth has lagged behind the national average every month for nearly eleven straight years. From the release:

In new figures on Ohio jobs released today by ODJFS, Ohio once again broke the record for most consecutive months when our state's job growth has been below the USA national average. The new record, set today, is 131 consecutive months of sub-par job growth in Ohio. That is one month short of a full eleven consecutive years of sub-par job growth.

Alarmingly, even on a seasonally adjusted basis Ohio lost 12,000 jobs in January 2007. The state lost jobs during the third quarter of 2006, and it lost jobs during the fourth quarter of 2006. Now, Ohio has lost jobs during the first month of first quarter 2007. All of those losses came while the USA economy was generating job growth.

The report is a big .pdf, mostly because the month-by-month employment data is appended. They also provide graphic representation:


Read more on the report here. Meanwhile, Betty Sutton took to the floor yesterday to decry the effects of free trade on Ohio's economy. No doubt our friends on the Right will call for ever more tax cuts. Because, you know, if a teaspoon of medicine makes you sicker, surely a tablespoon is the cure.