Buckeye Institute's State of the State Report

Press Release:

BUCKEYE INSTITUTE RELEASES STATE OF THE STATE REPORT

April 6, 2011-COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions today released its second annual State of the State report Ohio's Weak Economy Struggles to Prop Up an Oversized Government. The report shows an economic snapshot of the state and each county.

The main points of the report are:

* The average private sector salary fell while average government salaries at all levels increased.
* Median household income in Ohio has decreased nearly $3,000 to roughly $45,000.
* National median household income is about $50,000.
* All counties lost private sector jobs from 2008 to 2009.
* Ohio lost 537,500 jobs (11%) since January 2000, second to MI.
* Ohio has the 5th worst business climate, 18th highest tax burden and 6th worst population growth from 2000-2009.

"Private sector Ohioans are making less money while government employees continue to receive significant pay increases that we can't afford," Mary McCleary, Policy Analyst for the Buckeye Institute stated. "We have 537,000 fewer private sector workers supporting the same size of government we had 10 years ago, but it is more costly than ever."

The full report can be viewed at http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/uploads/files/2011StateoftheState(1).pdf


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The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions is Ohio's premier free market think tank. The Buckeye Institute has provided the research and solutions to Ohio's toughest public policy challenges in economic freedom and competitiveness, job creation and entrepreneurship, and government transparency and accountability for over 21 years.

Mary McCleary is a Policy Analyst at the Buckeye Institute. She is the author of Dipped in Gold: Upper- Management Police and Fire Retirees become Public-Service Millionaires. McCleary has also been published in major newspapers around the state of Ohio and appeared on radio programs for her work.