Ohio

Ohio economists divided on the best way to measure the state's economy • Ohio Capital Journal

Published

2 years ago

June 6, 2024

Ohio economists divided on the best way to measure the state's economy • Ohio Capital Journal

Harry Truman is supposed to have said he needed a one-armed economist because every time he asked a question of the ones he had, they responded by saying, “Well on the one hand…”

Whether the tale is apocryphal or not, economists have long been known for carefully hedging statements about the world of commerce, money and consumer behavior. Now a panel of Ohio economists is disagreeing about the usefulness of one of the most-used measures — gross domestic product.

Also known as GDP, it is the measure of the total value of goods and services produced over a given period of time.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland in March released a report saying that between the fourth quarter of 2021 and the third quarter of 2023, Ohio GDP grew by just 0.5%, the fifth-worst of any state. Contractions in the the state’s two biggest leading sectors — manufacturing and the finance, insurance, and real estate sector — were mostly responsible for the poor performance, the report said.

But how meaningful is that statistic when devising economic policy for the state?

In a survey conducted by Scioto Analysis last month, 17 economists were about evenly split when asked whether GDP was overused in policymaking and whether other measures would be a better alternative. Eight said it wasn’t, seven said it was and two were uncertain.

In the comments section of the survey, Rachel Wilson of Wittenberg University said other measures that consider environmental and social factors should augment GDP when formulating policy.

“GDP was invented in response to the great depression,” she wrote. “It is necessary but insufficient. There are other alternatives like the Better Life Index or Genuine Progress Indicator. These other measures put more weight on goods and services that contribute to well-being, such as volunteer work and higher education, and deducts impacts that detract from well-being, such as the loss of leisure time, pollution, and commuting.”

Bob Gitter of Ohio Wesleyan University said that he believed that state leaders actually look at consequences of GDP — not GDP itself — when they do their work.

“I don’t think policymakers look at GDP, per se, but rather employment and wages which are correlated with GDP,” he said.

However, Ohio policymakers often seem to consider other things.

The state’s leadership has undertaken a number of hugely expensive policies that benefit wealthy individuals and corporations on promises they’ll grow the economy — and they’ve stuck with them even when those promises don’t materialize.

For example, the state forgoes about $1 billion a year on a law that slashes state taxes on those who have the wherewithal to form LLCs.

The program continues despite years of underperforming expectations. A 2022 analysis found that the wealthiest Ohioans overwhelmingly got most of the benefit from that program.

There’s also JobsOhio, for which Ohioans have foregone more than $1 billion in liquor taxes. Ohio’s poor economic performance comes despite the high-dollar program that hands money to businesses — often for doing things they were going to do without the incentives.

And then there’s straight-up corruption, including the bribery scheme in which an Akron utility spent $61 million in bribes to get a $1.3 billion, ratepayer-financed bailout. Despite the fact that federal authorities said rampant use of dark money made the conspiracy possible, Ohio policymakers have done nothing in the four years since the scandal broke to bring transparency to such money, while other states have.

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Ohio

Ohio State educators honored for service in classroom and beyond

Published

4 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Press Room

Ohio State educators honored for service in classroom and beyond

The work that educators do every day in teaching and furthering research and innovation is the foundation of The Ohio State University’s land-grant mission, President Ravi V. Bellamkonda said at the university’s annual Faculty Awards Celebration. The event was held May 6 at Vitria on the Square on Ohio State’s Columbus campus.

“The question is, what should we be doing together and what’s the goal for us as we move forward? I’d like to suggest that I would like for all of us to give ourselves the gift of reasonably high expectations of what we can achieve together, and you exemplify this,” Bellamkonda told the honorees.

“I’m optimistic about our future because of what you do in the classroom and the scholarship and the mentoring and the teaching and the community that you have created.”

The celebration shines a light on faculty’s contributions to Ohio State and the citizens that the university serves, Interim Provost Trevor Brown said.

“I want to acknowledge how special all of our faculty are in the work that they do in generating knowledge and sharing that with students and the broader community,” he said. “That is important and essential work.

The Distinguished University Professor appointment, Ohio State’s highest faculty honor, was awarded to: Gail E. Besner, College of Medicine; Shan-Lu Liu, College of Veterinary Medicine; Alan Luo, College of Engineering; Giorgio Rizzoni, College of Engineering; Brent Sohngen, College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CFAES); and Claudia Turro, College of Arts and Sciences.

“The title of distinguished university professor is a permanent honorific that includes automatic membership in the president’s and provost’s advisory committee,” said Patrick Louchouarn, senior vice provost for leadership and external engagement.

Three professors were recognized with the President and Provost’s Award for Distinguished Faculty Service: Caroline T. Clark, College of Education and Human Ecology (EHE); Susan E. Cole, College of Arts and Sciences; and John E. Davidson, College of Arts and Sciences.

Ohio State Interim Provost Trevor Brown said faculty’s teaching and research are essential. The Distinguished Scholar Award was presented to six faculty members: Christopher R. Browning, College of Arts and Sciences; David L. Hoffman, College of Arts and Sciences; Christopher Jaroniec, College of Arts and Sciences; Christopher A. Jones, College of Arts and Sciences; Matthew D. Ringel, College of Medicine; and Han-Wei Shen, College of Engineering.

Also recognized were recipients of the Provost’s Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Lecturer and the Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching

These honorees “are inducted into the Academy of Teaching and are honored with the academy’s medallion,” said Helen Malone, vice provost for faculty affairs. “Academy of Teaching members wear these distinctive medallions as part of their academic regalia.”

The Provost’s Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Lecturer honorees are:

Christiane Buuck, College of Arts and Sciences.

Alexia Leonard, College of Engineering.

David Matthews, College of Pharmacy.

Calvin Olsen, College of Arts and Sciences.

U.S. Navy Lt. Michael L. Terranova, Naval ROTC.

Jennifer Walters, College of Arts and Sciences.

The Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching honorees are:

Jasmine Abukar, EHE.

Yigit Akin, College of Arts and Sciences.

Dawn Allain, College of Medicine.

Rebecca R. Andridge, College of Public Health.

Amanda Bird, College of Arts and Sciences.

Ellen Klinger, CFAES.

Danielle Schoon, College of Arts and Sciences.

Guramrit Singh, College of Arts and Sciences.

Margaret Sumner, College of Arts and Sciences.

Ryan J. Yoder, College of Arts and Sciences.

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Ohio

Manufacturing history unfolds at North Central Ohio Industrial Museum

Published

17 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Press Room

Manufacturing history unfolds at North Central Ohio Industrial Museum

MANSFIELD ― If you’re interested in manufacturing, you can come and see hundreds of products made in North Central Ohio — including appliances, tires, pumps, Klondike bars, cigars and pieces made for streetcars.

The North Central Ohio Industrial Museum inside the lower east diagonal wing of the historic Ohio State Reformatory showcases the history of manufacturing in Mansfield and surrounding areas.

Location

The Ohio State Reformatory, 100 Reformatory Road, Mansfield.

Why it matters

The museum traces the history of manufacturing in North Central Ohio since the first steam locomotive came through town in 1846. Exhibits highlight the accomplishments of local residents and industry in peace and war, according to NCOIM President Jerry Miller.

What to see

The NCOIM has several themed sections of exhibits, beginning with “Every town had a mill,” then the Cast Iron Age, City of Stoves, Wires & Electric Exhibits, Cigar & Beer, Wheels, AG Industry and Mickey Rupp, which then begins an exhibit on what is currently manufactured in Richland County.

Miller said the late Bob Glasener started the museum and was responsible for saving many local industrial artifacts over the years. Miller said Glasener’s daughter has in her possession the 1939 World’s Fair Westinghouse (gold-plated) roaster, which she donated to the museum.

The museum is full of surprising finds.

Elektro the Westinghouse robot should be on display this summer at the North Central Ohio Industrial Museum after being restored.

A manhole and stormwater grate from 1935 made by the Tappan Stove Co. are among the treasures Miller helped to preserve. He also has the Tappan marquee and a Westinghouse marquee.

Plan your visit

Hours/admission: The museum will be open the same hours as OSR and will be free to tour with the purchase of a ticket to the prison-turned-museum.

Getting there: OSR is on the north side of Mansfield, just off U.S. 30.

Learn more: mrps.org (OSR is operated by the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society).

Contact Lou Whitmire at 419-5-21-7223. She can be reached at X at @lwhitmir.

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