Ohio must keep good jobs to maintain vital public services; Support aid for Big 3

Today, two familiar household brands, Office Depot and American Greetings, announced job cuts. Meanwhile, auto workers, parts suppliers, dealership employees, and UAW retirees ponder their economic fates. But the impact does not stop with them.

Although a failure of the Big Three Automakers would cripple Ohio in more ways than we can imagine, an interactive map published by the Detroit Free Press gives a clear state-by-state picture of how many jobs and how much revenue potentially would be lost.

It's increasingly more clear to most Ohioans that cuts in private industry at big auto plants or the neighborhood gift shop affect government budgets. Indeed, as businesses around the nation and across the state continue to announce workforce reductions, Ohio's tax revenue projections seem doomed to dip -- or plunge -- further.

However, federal help for the Big Three Automakers may deliver much needed help for Main Street and, ultimately, public services, says the Toledo Blade's “Saving Jeep – and Detroit’s Big 3 – is key to saving the nation” editorial. In fact, an Associated Press article released this afternoon noted:

Wall Street regained some of its optimism today and advanced on expectations that Congress will extend a lifeline to U.S. automakers and avoid a potential pitfall for the economy...

An Akron Beacon Journal article, "White House, Dems near bailout for automakers," gives some details about the proposed deal and stipulations designed to protect taxpayers and help GM, Ford, and Chrysler survive. But why is this Big Three bailout important to the average low-income family? Ohio's neediest families cannot afford more bad economic news or for Congress to reject the bailout.

Ohio's unemployment rate jumped to 7.3 percent for October and, according to today's Toledo Blade article, “Ohio aid deficit hits $49.5M as needs grows,” the welfare budget just doubled for programs like subsidized child care, job-training, and other services for low-income families. We need to keep auto workers off the unemployment line, suppliers delivering goods, dealerships selling cars, and all automaker-related businesses paying taxes which fund government services.

Show your union solidarity for the auto workers and all working families, in general, by sending an email now to your Congressperson. Tell Congress: Stand with Working Americans! Our public agencies, communities, and schools will suffer greatly should the American auto industry fail.