What's the Matter with Ohio?

Some might joke that the answer to the headline is "everything," but I think Ohio gets an unfairly bum rap. Okay, so the Cuyahoga River did catch on fire, but that was more than 40 years ago now, and it prompted governments to get serious about environmentalism and led to the passage of the Clean Water Act. And yes, as part of the Rust Belt, Ohio's economy is even worse than in most states, but Cleveland in particular has made some interesting attempts at revitalizing the downtown area: a new rapid transit line, attractive apartments and new retail and dining opportunities. Talk of Ohio's demise -- or its similarities to its far more troubled neighbor, Michigan -- have been greatly exaggerated.

Still, Ohio has major problems, especially relating to jobs and taking care of its poorest residents. In a new report called "Restoring Prosperity," the Brookings Institution and the Greater Ohio Policy Center describe the challenges but also discuss the opportunities they pose. The authors argue that following their recommendations could not just save Ohio's reputation, but make it a model for the nation.

One of Ohio's major problems, the report makes clear, is the lack of job opportunities for low-skilled, low-wage workers who may have formerly worked in manufacturing. The research shows that Ohio's workforce training and placement programs are inefficient, meaning the people who most need jobs have a much tougher time finding them than in most other states. This has contributed to a 10.6 percent unemployment rate, putting Ohio in the worst quartile nationwide. The authors cite green technology as a major area of potential growth that could employ thousands of Ohioans: although the state has one of the highest coal consumption rates and carbon footprints in the country, the governor has aggressively pushed for clean energy and other types of green technology. If Ohio could just improve its workforce programs to make sure people are actually qualified for those jobs, the state could become a national leader on emerging technologies.

And while building high-end loft apartments and fancy restaurants in the downtown area is important, Ohio government needs to focus more on making the poor and middle-class neighborhoods more livable through improved housing, increased public safety (hopefully avoiding sensational crimes as well as the more mundane ones that give Cleveland, Cincinnati and Dayton some of the highest crime rates in the country)  and overhauled schools. The report acknowledges that Ohio probably can't afford to rescue every struggling neighborhood, prompting the authors to call for a targeted revitalization program that focuses on the most promising areas. This would cause some neighborhoods to be abandoned altogether -- potentially forcing low-income people out of homes they've lived in for decades -- but if the government provided for them to move to a safer neighborhood it might just be worth it.

While no one will agree with all of the authors' policy recommendations, let's hope that state and local leaders take them seriously and engage in serious discussion about how to better serve poor residents. I know one thing: it sure is refreshing to see a little optimism about Ohio once in a while.

Photo credit: T(h)ed Ferringer