Ohio’s elected officials were tooting their own horn a bit at the end of the year — and with good reason. Economic development is happening at a pace to which Buckeye State residents have been unaccustomed. But as a recent report by Scioto Analysis suggests, there is much room for improvement in other categories.
According to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal, Scioto Analysis came up with an Ohio Human Development Report, which focused not just on income and financial wellbeing, but also on health and education. It uses the Human Development Index created by the United Nations back in 1990 to compare countries, but this version is meant to help Ohio policymakers see the bigger picture.
“Seeing as the HDI investigates health, education, and income, we are able to look at three ways that society is performing,” the report said, according to the Capital Journal. “We are then able to see the ways in which Ohio counties are not meeting their full potential in comparison to other counties and neighboring states. Our analysis using this measure highlights how Ohioans are faring and will help policymakers make thoughtful choices on ways to improve communities and assets.”
Compared with the 11 other Midwestern states, Ohio is seventh best — though everyone is improving.
Here we are “lagging behind in noneconomic areas of development,” the report stated.
“It is evident that when considering measuring and improving wellbeing on a county level, policymakers should consider how targeting programs to specific geographic regions can reduce inequities in well-being across the state,” the report said. “Mapping HDI by county demonstrates a clear need for support in rural Ohio counties, particularly those in Southern Ohio.”
No surprise there. Policymakers have for decades ignored the wellbeing of those in rural and Appalachian Ohio. We’re also doing a poor job of moving the needle for Ohio’s black residents, for whom indicators have been stagnate in all three categories — economic, health and education — for at least 20 years.
There is positive news in that the report shows significant, though not statewide, economic growth for Ohio. Perhaps as that growth takes hold and spreads, it will make a difference for health and education, too.
But policymakers must not wait for that to happen without looking for ways they can help. And they must not forget that sometimes the best way to help is to get out of the way.
