Ohio has been gaining jobs over the last few years, and its unemployment rate hit its lowest level in 17 years a few months ago. But there are other numbers in the state’s economic overview that raise concerns for a progressive group that reviews the economy each year on Labor Day.
Amy Hanauer with Policy Matters Ohio said the State of Working Ohio report shows workers are more productive and educated, but there are still pay gaps between men and women and whites and African Americans and little wage growth.
“We still see just tremendous inequality and inability to see our wages inching up at all," she said.
But Rea Hederman at the conservative Buckeye Institute said he sees opportunity in the economy.
“We have more of our fellow Ohioans finding work, being able to find work with good benefits, and so we’ve seen strong wage growth over the last year,” he said.
Hederman gave credit to tax cuts. But Hanauer said those cuts have taken billions out of the state budget that could be used to invest in education.
