Latest news with #Keinath
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How will Trump's tariffs affect Miami Valley consumers, businesses?
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — With retaliatory tariffs from China and the EU in the works, local experts say we could start feeling the effects across various industries here in the Miami Valley. While the first thing that comes to mind when many people think of tariffs is higher prices, experts warn that local businesses and consumers could be looking at a whole list of challenges ahead. Trump limits tariffs on most nations for 90 days, except China The Dayton Chamber of Commerce told 2 NEWS that local businesses have been reaching out to their organization, worried about their futures, especially in sectors like manufacturing, hospitality and retail. It's not just businesses — 2 NEWS spoke with consumers who feel like a recession may be on the horizon with all of these tariffs in play. Many are worried about what they could soon be paying for everyday items. With countries across the world hitting back with their own tariffs, experts say it's going to make trade a lot harder, especially since China is one of America's biggest trade partners. 'It's just sort of an escalation of commitment where there are no winners, because the losers are the consumers. We all buy things. So it's really something that's going to negatively impact everybody,' said Riley Dugan, head of the Management and Marketing Department at University of Dayton. The Trump administration says tariffs will help rebuild the economy, promote fair trade and protect American jobs by boosting 'Made in America' products. In some instances, tariffs could be beneficial. Stephanie Keinath with the Dayton Chamber of Commerce says the steel industry often talks about how costly American steel is compared to global options. 'So some of these tariffs level the playing field for some of those products,' said Keinath. 'There could potentially be opportunities that open up for American companies where they may have contracts with a global supplier, and they may then want to switch to an American supplier.' Trump announces pause in tariffs; markets jump But for local businesses, the quick pivot to all American products presents real challenges. 'That could mean potential delays, potential supply chain interruptions as businesses try to find other ways of identifying those parts they need for machines, those parts they need to manufacture goods from other places,' said Keinath. Experts say consumers won't see the impact of these tariffs all at once — it will be more gradual. And while the tariffs aim to create more American jobs, experts warn it will get a lot worse before it gets better. 'When we talk about onshoring a lot of these manufacturing jobs, it's really going to take a few years,' said Dugan. 'And we're going to be suffering through a recession most likely, if these tariffs are in place for that period of time, to when we can get those manufacturing jobs back in place.' Experts say this time brings a lot of uncertainty and the best thing to do is ask questions. The Dayton Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a tariff education seminar later this month. to learn more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio budget must include support for child care access and workers, advocates say
Children in child care. (Photo by Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent) Child care must be a priority in the next Ohio state operating budget, advocates told a legislative committee considering the state's spending on child wellbeing, saying that a proper system would bring benefits not only for the kids, but for the state as a whole. 'Child care is the industry that allows all other work to happen,' said Chris Angellatta, CEO of the Child Care Resource and Referral Association. Leaders of coalitions and organizations across the state pushed the Ohio House Children & Human Services Committee to keep parts of Gov. Mike DeWine's executive budget proposal related to child care, and some even brought their own ideas on how the budget could work better for children, and the parents who could reenter the workforce if they had affordable, accessible quality child care. 'We've heard a range of challenges,' said Stephanie Keinath, executive vice president of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce. The chamber collaborated with the Montgomery County kindergarten readiness advocacy group Preschool Promise, holding meetings with local employers about their child care needs. The challenges it heard ranged from a lack of backup child care, confusion on how employees can navigate eligibility for benefits and 'the bigger challenge of how to increase capacity in parts of our community that lack the infrastructure,' Keinath said. The chamber of commerce also partnered with child advocacy group Groundwork Ohio and Wright State University for a summit on the impact of child care on the workforce, and interacted with more than 300 business leaders as part of the summit. 'What has become clear, through all our conversations with employers, is that there is no single solution that will work for all businesses,' Keinath told the committee. 'What may be feasible for some of our large employers will likely not be feasible for the over 48% of small businesses who cite lack of child care as a major obstacle for staffing.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Keinath was among the many advocates who urged the committee to continue the Child Care Choice Voucher Program, which is maintained in the newest House budget proposal, and would allow subsidies for households whose annual income is up to 200% of the federal poverty level. That's $62,400 for a family of four. 'This expansion of eligibility … is a key factor in ensuring that an important part of our workforce can return to work or remain working,' Keinath said. Among the other budget items the child care supporters pushed for was an expansion to the state's Publicly Funded Child Care program eligibility, which could rise to 160% of the federal poverty line if legislators move it forward. 'We know that this is a step in the right direction, but increasing eligibility to 300% could make an even greater impact on Ohio's children and families,' said Brianna Booker, policy associate with the Children's Defense Fund Ohio. That would be $93,600 for a family of four. The County Commissioners Association of Ohio joined advocates in supporting the child care changes that could make it into the budget. Montgomery County Commissioner and CCAO member Carolyn Rice said the counties, which administer public assistance programs like the publicly funded child care system, are 'uniquely positioned to recognize both the current challenges many families have accessing child care and the positive impact that child care can have on a family's journey toward economic prosperity.' But more could be done, particularly to help those who take care of children in those quality child care facilities, Angellatta said. He pitched a pilot program to the House committee that would create 'categorical eligibility,' to give early childhood educators full-time child care for their own children. The pilot program Angellatta proposed would start with a voucher for 1,000 children of child care workers in Ohio. The program would not only help a sector of the workforce that is 'driven by low wages and high turnover rates,' – with 43% of early childhood educators earning $11.60 per hour or less, according to Angellatta – but provide a strategy to bolster the workforce that faces a 'critical shortage.' 'This is also a recruitment activity, in which, regardless of someone's income, we want them to be able to come to the child care workforce,' Angellatta told the committee. Kentucky passed a similar categorical eligibility law in 2022, and other states are already supporting child care workers in similar ways, the association leader said. 'Ohio's economic competitiveness really depends on our ability to outperform our neighbors, and child care is an important part of that infrastructure,' Angellatta said. Outside of budgetary changes, the state has also looked into a cost-sharing model that would split child care into thirds, with the state, employers and employees all paying an equal share. A Republican-led effort to implement the measure is currently being considered in both the House and Senate. State Rep. Andrea White, R-Kettering, chair of the Children & Human Services Committee, said members will go into next week discussing recommendations for the budget document, as the House prepares to pass its version of the spending bill. The Ohio Senate has also begun budget discussions, on its way to a draft document of its own. The state budget is due to be finalized and ready for the governor's signature by July 1. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
