http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/springfield-news/ohio-under-siege-as-jobs-disappear--1143861.htmlBy Steve Bennish, Ken McCall and Tim Tresslar, Staff Writers
10:42 PM Saturday, April 23, 2011
DAYTON — Since 2000, Ohio’s total annual private payroll dropped by $22 billion when adjusted for inflation, a devastating economic implosion that hit every aspect of Ohio’s economy — from grocery stores, restaurants and retail to government budgets and beyond. As one telling indicator, the Ohio Department of Education said the proportion of youngsters receiving federally subsidized school lunches has reached a record high of four for every 10 students. snip
Roger is working again, but the Logan County family’s income has been cut in half and will drop further when Cheryl’s unemployment benefits run out.
“I don’t have any benefits,” said Roger of his job working as a contractor. “I don’t have insurance, no type of future benefits, either.”
The vanishing wages that the Blairs and countless other Ohio families are experiencing come as legions of manufacturing and other higher wage jobs disappear amid accelerating global trade and enormous international trade deficits. Those deficits punished Ohio, where manufacturing has long undergirded the state’s economic might and provided entry to the middle class.