Editorial: Economic news might seem good, but consider it against national data

Perspective is important. And the U.S. Census Bureau released data this week putting gains this region and Ohio have made into stark perspective.We’ve seen growth. Jerry Good, the Ohio Department of Development’s regional director, told a business gathering the eight counties for which he’s responsible saw $767 million in business investments last year. Add to that the 1,600 new jobs that came last year to those counties. Some numbers that weren’t available last week might add to the optimism about the region’s future:• The U.S. Census Bureau found that, from 2000 to 2006, per capita income in Lima increased by 19 percent, The (Toledo) Blade reported. The 2006 figure had grown to $28,793.• Van Wert’s per capita income in that time rose 18 percent, up to $29,184.• Findlay’s went up to $33,330, a 17 percent increase from 2000.However rosy those numbers appear, the national per capita income increased 27 percent from 2000 to 2006, when it stood at $36,714. The picture for 10 cities in Northwest Ohio — Lima, Van Wert and Findlay among them — is one of communities falling behind. Even with the new jobs from last year, every county in the Lima area had a higher unemployment average in March than it did a year earlier.There is some room for optimism, despite the dismal numbers. Wednesday was the due date for the final return for companies that pay tax on personal property. Reducing the burden companies suffer for providing a living for so many is a good start. But, it is only a start.Because, for all the gains Ohio is making, it’s still falling further behind. That says something important about what other states are doing even as this one makes slight improvements.