Taft: All of Ohio is hurting

By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Despite the shutdown of CSC Ltd. in Warren, the possible closing of Youngstown's private prison and cutbacks at other local companies, Gov. Bob Taft says the national economic downturn is not hitting the Mahoning Valley any harder than the rest of the state.
"I don't think the Mahoning Valley is disproportionately hurt," Taft said during a visit Thursday.
"All parts of Ohio are exhibiting a downturn. The steel industry is hurting. The automobile industry is down. Those kinds of facilities are located in all parts of Ohio."
Taft pointed to layoffs and cutbacks in Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, Ashland, Dayton, Akron and Cleveland.
"We're in a manufacturing recession right now and, unfortunately, the Mahoning Valley is caught up in that," he said. "This is not good news. To an extent, Northeast Ohio has been hit hard because of steel, but automobiles [plants] are all over the state.
"This downturn is working very heavily throughout the manufacturing part of the economy, so anywhere that has substantial manufacturing has been hit hard, which would include Youngstown."
What's being tried: Taft said he is doing all he can to encourage the federal government to buy the privately owned and operated Northeast Ohio Correctional Center in Youngstown, which could close in August.
The governor said the state is working with a number of potential investors in CSC, but the state's steel crisis will not be resolved until the government puts a stop to illegal foreign dumping.
On the positive side, Taft said the state is "using all the tools and resources we have to provide the kind of incentives and support that would be necessary to secure a commitment from General Motors to bring a new product line to the Lordstown plant."
Taft said he has been working closely with plant and union officials and GM executives in Detroit to keep the facility in the Valley.
"We're prepared to provide the training incentives, the infrastructure assistance, the tax incentives and address whatever issues General Motors raises as part of these discussions," Taft said.
"We have put a package on the table and we are discussing with General Motors on a continuous basis. I can't say when their decision will be made, but it's been reviewed and I believe it's receiving a favorable response."
Taft said places like the Youngstown Business Incubator, which houses small, upstart technology companies, are at the core of the state's economic future.
"This is where the new jobs are going to come from," he said after touring the facility. "They're small, but they're growing. These businesses can count on continued support from the state."