Political Quotes

“Mr. President, we know Americans work harder and longer than ever before and have less and less to show for it. Hard work doesn't pay off the way it used to. Workers in Ohio have known that for a long time--that their paychecks don't stretch far enough. This month, the State's second largest newspaper, the Columbus Dispatch, reported on just how bad things are for far too many Ohioans. The Dispatch reported on a new study by the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio that found--get this--that only 2 out of the 10 most common jobs in Ohio pay enough for one to be able to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment. Think about the number of people who work in fast-food restaurants. Think of the number of people who clean hotel rooms. Think of the number of people who are orderlies in big hospitals. Think of the number of people who do clerical work or who are bank tellers who simply don't make enough to live any kind of a lifestyle which, when they were kids, they expected to live. Look at it this way. Average renters in Ohio earn just over $13 an hour--$2 less than the $15.25 an hour they need to rent a basic two- bedroom. Now, that is statewide, but in Columbus, which is the State's largest city, it is worse. You need to earn $17.50 per hour to rent a basic two-bedroom apartment. Policy Matters Ohio has also done great work in shining a light on working Ohioans.…”