By Valerie Royzman
Reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration

Srijang Laoti Subba opened Family Groceries with his brother and nephew in Akron in 2011. It began solely as a family business but soon, more employees were hired to accommodate the steady flow of customers.

The store, located in the city’s North Hill neighborhood, offers a diverse mix of Nepali, Burmese, Thai, African and Hispanic groceries, along with other items. The Subbas, who immigrated from Bhutan, also added a produce section, meat market and mini eatery in the rear of the building.

“We thought of bringing this stuff together to bring the community together,” Subba said, weaving through the aisles and pointing out the store’s best-selling cookies and beauty products.

Subba, 42, said there was a scarcity of jobs when he arrived in 2009, but immigrants have cultivated the area, and they keep coming, spawning a healthy competition among the local businesses.

The store’s success led them to open a second location in Cincinnati three months ago and hire an entirely new team of employees.

Subba and his brother, Naresh, a nuclear physicist, are examples of immigrants who contribute to the talent base of Ohio. Across the state, cities are strategizing solutions to keep immigrant populations afloat and prosperous despite growing concerns about immigration policies.

“I think that the activity in Washington has definitely raised the level of concern in immigrant communities, and it has made us more aware and more watchful of what is going on because we are committed to retaining immigrants in our region,” said Mary Stagaman, senior inclusion adviser for the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.

Ohio currently is home to more than 500,000 immigrants who paid $4.4 billion in state and local taxes and contributed $11.7 billion in spending power to its economy, according to the bipartisan group New American Economy. The group represents more than 500 business executives and mayors who support immigration reform.

Its “Map the Impact” project shows immigrants represented 11.8 percent of Ohio’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workers in 2016, despite accounting for only 4.2 percent of the state’s population.

“The immigrants that we’re attracting in the Cincinnati market are disproportionately more educated than the native population, so they bring a lot of, for instance, STEM technical degrees into our region that are necessary to fill jobs that we have available,” Stagaman said. “They are increasingly more of our physicians, they are increasingly more of our engineers.”

Along with the Great Lakes Metro Chambers Coalition, a group of 40 chambers of commerce across the Rust Belt, New American Economy released a report in October 2017 that said the number of immigrant entrepreneurs increased by 120,000 from 2000 to 2015, while the rate at which native-born Americans opened businesses went down. Immigrants also accounted for more than one of every five “Main Street” business owners in the region, which generated about 239,000 jobs for blue-collar, U.S.-born workers.

Annie McFadden, deputy chief of staff for Akron Mayor Daniel Horrigan, said immigrants are an “economic force” in the city, with many introducing culturally oriented businesses and revitalizing run-down neighborhoods, including in Akron’s North Hill.

“They pay taxes here, they buy products here, they open up businesses here, they contribute to our labor force and consumer spending,” McFadden said. “They also tend to increase our housing values because they tend to buy and rehabilitate houses in Akron.”

Joe Cimperman, president of Global Cleveland, a nonprofit economic-development group that promotes immigration, said a lot of the immigrants in Ohio are of prime working age, between 25 and 54, a factor that further contributes to their willingness to find jobs.

In the Great Lakes states, about 70 percent of the foreign-born population are people of working age, whereas the U.S.-born population had about 51 percent, according to the New American Economy report.

“The examples of the benefit of not only welcoming immigrants, but allowing them to do what they do, which is to start businesses, to hire people, is one of the things that troubles me so much about our national policy. … If we really are trying to put our nation first, the way to do that is not by closing the door or building a wall,” Cimperman said. “That is the exact opposite way to do it.”

By helping key Ohio cities reverse population loss among native-born citizens, immigration is a “demographic lifeline” in the Rust Belt, according to a recent study from the nonpartisan Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

In 1900, according to the study, about 50 percent of immigrants in the Midwest lived in urban areas, compared with 38 percent of those native-born. By 1960, 85 percent of immigrants lived in urban areas, compared with 68 percent of native-born residents.

“For the cities of the Midwest,” said study author Rob Paral, a demographer and nonresident fellow at the council, “restricting current immigration levels is the last thing they need: an unnecessary tourniquet applied to a precious supply of new regional residents and workers.”

Pete Gerken, president of the Lucas County commissioners, said immigrants helped offset the loss in his county of U.S.-born citizens. Toledo’s overall population experienced a 12 percent decrease between 2000 and 2014, along with a 12.7 percent decrease of those born in the United States. The foreign-born population, however, saw a 14.6 percent boost, he said.

Gerken said the immigrants coming to Toledo are skilled, family-oriented and have a strong work ethic, but need a safe and welcoming place such as what his community can provide. The influx of people, he said, provides an economic advantage and increased population growth to the area.

“Even those people that may not like the politics of immigration ought to look at the bottom-line economics of it, if that’s what they need to get supportive of it, because it is a factor in our economic growth,” he said.

Dayton City Commissioner Matt Joseph said the anti-immigrant attitudes of the Trump presidency and changing immigration policies at the federal level are frustrating.

“We need folks to help us rebuild,” Joseph said, “and the very people who are doing that are the people the federal government is trying to keep out — just really dumb.”

In Cincinnati, Stagaman said she’s hearing a lot more concern for personal safety. Legal immigrants who have worked in the country for years, she said, are feeling worried for themselves and their extended families.

Ohio’s major cities — Akron, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton and Toledo — have welcoming initiatives in place, meaning they’re prepared to take in any immigrants who want to come. The six largest cities are members of the Ohio Welcoming Initiatives network, formed in 2015 to strengthen local efforts to sustain immigrant populations statewide.

Additionally, Dayton was certified by Welcoming America, a nonprofit immigrant advocacy group, as the nation’s first “welcoming city” in September for its immigrant-friendly actions that began in 2011.

Joseph said restrictions are something the nation has seen time and time again through history. But setbacks are temporary, he said.

“People realize immigrants are needed; immigrants are vital; immigrants are a part of our heritage,” he said. “In a short amount of time, through one mechanism or another, people will figure out that it’s the best thing for our city and state to have refugees and immigrants here to join us and become Americans.”

Binod Gajmer spent 17 years in a refugee camp in Nepal before coming to the United States, where he and his brothers opened Akron’s Rohan Jewelers in 2013. His brother, Bhakti, makes all the pieces himself. In January, they opened Ration Convenience Store next door.

Gajmer said financially, immigrants aid the state. “Without immigrants,” he said, “America will collapse.”

This collaboration is funded in part by Media in the Public Interest and the George Gund Foundation.


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A coalition of South Dakota groups is voicing its opposition to a ballot measure intended to end a state sales tax on consumables.

If passed this November, Initiated Measure 28 would repeal the state's 4.2% sales tax on "anything sold for human consumption," including food and other products from toothpaste to tobacco, CBD and vaping products.

Sandra Waltman, director of public affairs for the South Dakota Education Association, said the teachers union opposes the repeal because it does not include a plan to replace the money the current tax contributes to education.

"Our main reason for opposing this is the lack of a plan for replacing the $176 million and what that will do, not only for K-12 students but for higher education," Waltman explained. "Districts would probably be looking at a very bare-bones budget."

Currently, Waltman said about 60% of public school funding comes from state coffers, and the other 40% from local property taxes. She called the potential effect on education "drastic," saying they could lead to fewer teachers, larger class sizes and cuts to newer resources like mental health support and programs for career and technical education.

Proponents of the measure said repealing the tax could help the nearly 9% of South Dakotans who are food insecure but Waltman countered the same people would likely feel the effects of underfunded school systems.

"To repeal one tax without a more broad conversation about how you replace that revenue is shortsighted, and we think you shouldn't just be repealing a tax without a plan."

Other groups opposing the measure include the South Dakota Cattlemen's Association, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, South Dakotans Against a State Income Tax and the South Dakota Farm Bureau.

North Dakota officials will highlight a new project today to boost childcare access for parents with nontraditional work hours.

A local provider likes what the state's been doing to help facilities and families but hopes for more action. Health and Human Services leaders will appear at a child care facility in Fargo to discuss a pilot initiative, giving operators financial incentives to increase capacity for childcare slots outside the hours of 7:30 a.m to 5:30 p.m.

Kathy Busche, owner of Kathy's Kids Daycare in Hazen, said she will need to see more details but would have interest in signing up. She explained it has been a big need in her area.

"We're right in the middle of coal country and so, a lot of our plant workers are working 12-hour shifts, starting at 6:30 in the morning," Busche observed. "We have hospital workers that are working 12-hour shifts."

The announcement is part of a series of investments the state adopted last year to ease the childcare burden felt across North Dakota. Busche noted she especially likes the inclusion grant to provide day care for kids with special needs. She feels the state could go further in offering incentives to retain staff.

The state has been providing a stipend, which maxes out at $3,600, to help stabilize the child care workforce. Busche emphasized her workers have already used up their portions.

"Now, there's really no incentives left to keep staff," Busche contended. "Without staff, we can't have more kids."

Busche feels the state should not write a "blank check" to address problems and wants policymakers to keep evaluating what is working. She hopes staff retention is among the topics state lawmakers revisit when they return to session early next year.

By Ashli Blow for Tennessee Lookout.
Broadcast version by Danielle Smith for Tennessee News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Service Collaboration

Rebecca Maino would set aside $20 each month for her house repairs. Her aging home in Memphis had a leaky sink, an outdated air conditioner, and holes in the walls.

It just wasn’t enough to cover the costs. On her limited budget, she couldn’t manage to save more money while paying her family’s bills.

“When [contractors] come in and the scope of work that they tell you is thousands of dollars, people that are on fixed incomes that have worked their whole life to pay their home off, they simply cannot afford that,” said Maino. 

Over the years, the inconvenience evolved into a safety concern. With the increasing frequency of extreme weather — like last week’s deadly, subfreezing temperatures — her energy-inefficient home was becoming a health risk. Maino turned to Memphis Gas Light and Water (MLGW) and their weatherization program that could help with improvements. 

As storms intensify, environmental coalitions are backing these assistance programs as a viable climate solution in southern cities like Memphis. Weatherization gives residents the resources they need to protect themselves while reducing energy use from sources that emit climate-altering pollution. It also reduces energy during peak power demands that Tennessee now experiences as people try to stay warm in winter weather.

Weatherization programs have a longstanding presence across the nation. It’s a strong policy framework that MLGW has adapted into a program that is uniquely its own, some of which comes down to Memphis grit: the people behind the program who are dedicated to working hard for their community. 

“I take my job personally, because I came from a challenging upbringing right here in Memphis. I know what it’s like to be cold in the wintertime, hot in the summertime, and not having a lot of necessary needs to be met,” said David Wright, the technician who was assigned to Maino’s case. 

“We can’t rebuild a house all over again,” he said. “We try to make the [recommendations] the best that we possibly can give to a customer and to meet the needs they have.” 

When Wright showed up at Maino’s doorstep, that’s exactly what he did. He walked Maino through the issues while writing a work order that prescribed her a new air conditioner and heater, pipe repairs, and wall patchups. That order also identified the contractors responsible for installing appliances and making the necessary fixes. 

Maino never received an invoice, because the ratepayers had it covered. 

$8.3M in ratepayer donations funds weatherization projects 

In 2016, a MLGW customer-led advisory board told the utility it wasn’t doing enough with Share The Pennies—a small program that rounded up utility bills to the next whole dollar for weatherization services. For three years, customers were given the option to donate their extra change, but many weren’t checking the box. 

The board worked with Memphis City Councilmember Patrice Robinson to propose a resolution that would make Share The Pennies an opt-out program, asking customers to remove themselves if they didn’t want to participate. The city council passed it. 

Margie Borrum-Smith took the calls from unhappy customers. 

“People would say, ‘I don’t want anybody telling me what to do with my money,’ but when they hear about what’s going on, they want to participate,” said Borrum-Smith, who is now the manager of MLGW’s energy services and oversees the Share The Pennies program. 

Customers contributing to the program give about $12 each year, resulting in a collective revenue of $8.3 million. It has funded the weatherization of 935 homes. 

But, managing the program budget is not just about the quantity of work, it’s about the quality of the work, said Borrum-Smith. 

MLGW technicians oversee home projects from beginning to end. To perform services, they are required to hold certification as a home energy rater, an accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy. 

Trained to conduct ethical inspections and uphold industry standards, they offer cost-saving recommendations and investments in sustainable appliances such as heat pumps—an energy-efficient technology capable of both heating and cooling homes.

During installations, technicians collaborate with a roster of 41 local contractors, with many being small businesses owned by people of color and women. Together, they adhere to a set of standards and code enforcements.

“In the end, the technician has to sign off and the customer has to sign off,” said Borrum-Smith. “It’s the technician that should be asking, ‘are you satisfied?’ Because we shouldn’t let anything pass that should not be like we want it in our home.” 

The demand for weatherization services exceeds what Borrum-Smith’s team can currently meet. In addition to better living conditions, people want more affordable monthly utility bills. 

Memphis has one of the highest energy burdens nationally, where families or individuals allocate a significant portion of their income to utility bills. Thirteen percent of households face energy burdens, nearly 10% higher than the national average, as reported by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. 

MLGW’s next enrollment period opens on Tuesday. The utility partners with the Metropolitan Interfaith Association to manage the hundreds of people who ask for weatherization services. In past years, they’ve received so many applications, they closed the portal in just a day. 

Borrum-Smith hopes that the program can eventually offer a second enrollment period each year, but this expansion would require more funding. Despite that MLGW receives federal and state funding for weatherization programs, as well as contributions from ratepayers, meeting the pace and scale of demands will require more funding. 

Energy efficiency as a solution in motion 

Weatherization is among America’s oldest resiliency policies. 

In response to the 1973 oil crisis that brought about soaring energy costs, the U.S. The Department of Energy created its weatherization assistance program. Now, nearly half a century later, the Biden administration is using similar approaches as a tool to meet climate targets with unprecedented funding packages for clean energy. 

“Weatherization is key from a climate resilience standpoint,” said Will Bryan, policy director with the Southern Energy Efficiency Alliance. 

“There are two dimensions to this,” he said. “There’s certainly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which is vital and which weatherization does. The other benefit improves the kind of resilience of a household in the face of climate impacts.”

The impacts of climate change, such as hotter summers and more intense winter storms, pose dual threats to both safety and the operational integrity of energy grids. Tennessee Valley Authority, the energy provider for MLGW, has been grappling with these challenges. 

In recent years, the utilities have implemented rolling blackouts due to high electrical demand that strains its energy grid. Just last week, they jointly issued energy conservation alerts, urging customers to voluntarily reduce their energy usage when temperatures dropped to single digits.

While cohesive emergency plans and the adoption of clean energy sources are imperative for a holistic climate response across Tennessee, these solutions are years away. But weatherization already has a strong policy groundwork. 

That’s why Bryan and his colleagues at SEEA are actively aiding state energy offices now on home energy programs, offering guidance on effective strategies for administering and allocating federal funding. He anticipates that millions of dollars could come through Tennessee because of initiatives such as the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. These funding packages offer rebates and other funding streams that can be used to directly lower the cost of energy improvements. 

Already, Memphis city planners funneled $500,000 awarded from the American Rescue Plan Act into the Share The Pennies program last year. 

As program managers and energy consultants try to expand their financial resources for weatherization programs, they are grateful to customers like those at MLGW who are helping their neighbors. This accessible and dependable revenue source is something even Share the Pennies participants, like Maino herself, can contribute to. With her monthly utility costs now $30 lower, Maino rounds up her bill, passing on the assistance to others. 

“Everybody wants to be Bill Gates. Everybody wants to be Warren Buffet, but the reality is when you’re a single mother, like I am, I don’t have the liberty to sit here and write a $10,000 or $10 million check,” said Maino. “But rounding up to the nearest dollar, that’s not going to affect anyone’s bottom line.”


Ashli Blow wrote this article for Tennessee Lookout.


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