Town hall meetings give residents chance to speak on state economy

The U.S. Census numbers released last week offered a grim reminder of the task facing this region.

Middle-class income has recovered from the Great Recession in many parts of the country — and even parts of Ohio are seeing major growth — but this region is still lagging behind.

Median household income when adjusted for inflation declined 7 percent to $47,755 in Montgomery County and 4 percent to $52,745 in the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area between 2008 and 2017, according to analysis of the Census numbers by Richard Stock, director of the University of Dayton Business Research Group.

As part of our initiative, The Path Forward, the Dayton Daily News has been examining ways the region can flip the script from a place seen as declining to one known for its innovation and rebirth.

Next week, you can join that conversation.

The Dayton Daily News and Springfield News-Sun are part- nering with Your Voice Ohio on town hall meetings on the economy that will be held in Dayton on Sunday, Sept. 23, and in Springfield on Monday, Sept. 24.

Other sessions designed to share ideas will be held in other parts of the state over the next couple of weeks.

The Dayton meeting will be from 2 to 4 p.m. in the downtown Dayton Public Library, 215 E. Third St., and the Springfield meeting will be from 6 to 8 p.m. at Clark State Community College, 570

E. Leffel Lane.

Your Voice Ohio is a collaboration of news organizations throughout the state that is working to get the public a voice in finding solutions to the state’s biggest problems. The local forums are called Building a More Vibrant Ohio. Some of the feedback will be made public and shared with policymakers. Participants are urged to register at the Your Voice Ohio web site.