Helping the local economy

What are you willing to do to help our local economy?
That's the question we pose today after the story "Region's economy stagnant," stuck out like a sore thumb.
Why is it that Greater Cincinnati continues to lag while other regions - including the South and Southwest - grow more robust?
We have strong highway infrastructure. Our network of colleges and universities are among the strongest in the country. And we have a highly trained and highly skilled work force. But unemployment throughout Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky through November was 4.8 percent, including the loss of about 1,700 manufacturing jobs.
This continues a longstanding downward slide experienced by Rust Belt areas. And that highly skilled work force is getting older.
An Enquirer poll showed local residents are less optimistic today than they were three years ago about the shape of their personal finances.
Employees need to be able to learn new skills. We have to attract more 21st century innovators to the region to start businesses and support them. Our education system must adapt.
Those are macro ways to improve our economy. But there practical ways you can improve the economy and your personal finances by doing small things:
Spend less.
Save more.
Stop misusing credit cards.
Drive less.
Sure, institutional investors steer large economic shifts, but small businesses and thrifty individuals have a great impact on their local economies.
In the coming days, we'd like to hear from you. Tell us changes you think we all can make to turn the tide from a stagnant economy to a more vibrant one.