Happily, Richard Cordray, Ohio's Treasurer, has directed his office to join the "do something" camp.
If you keep up with the news, you might have noticed that the citizens of Ohio have endured some pretty tough economic times lately: Foreclosure rates are high, savings are abysmal, and the bankruptcy courts are working overtime.
So Cordray and his associates pooled some resources and created a new site for the state's citizens:
Ohio State Treasurer: Your Money Now Online
After glancing through some of the resources the site offers — there are PDF worksheets and Flash multimedia presentations, for instance — I'm inclined to believe that Cordray is serious about all this. As he writes in his welcome article:
For these reasons, I believe that providing financial education is critical to continued growth and prosperity in our state. A consumer empowered with the financial knowledge to make the right decisions will improve his or her own life as well as strengthen the community. We can live knowing that our homes are secure, our children's futures are brighter, and our communities are stronger.
I'm certainly in agreement with him there: I believe you cannot overstate the importance of smart personal finance in folks' lives. Money affects everything we do, and I do feel that governments share some responsibility in educating the masses on how to ... well, how to Stay Away from Stupid.
Here's to more public agencies making moves like this. Your Money NOW Online is small, of course, right now.
But it's a start.
