Taft provides more money for local high-tech project

Given state government's financial crisis, the $1.5 million that Republican Gov. Bob Taft and the GOP leadership in the General Assembly set aside for Youngstown in the biennium capital budget is worthy of praise.
Of course, we were hoping the state would fund all the projects on the wish list submitted by the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, but that was not to be. We aren't surprised, however, in light of the fact that for the past several months, legislative leaders have warned of a $4 billion deficit in the next two-year general fund budget. In addition, there was virtually no general fund money transferred to the capital budget that could have been used for community projects.
At the very least, the $1.5 million indicates that the governor is not ignoring the predominantly Democratic Mahoning Valley and suggests that he intends to remain an active participant in the region's economic revitalization.
Indeed, $1 million of the Valley's allocation -- the capital bill was approved by the House this week and is scheduled for a vote in the Senate on Tuesday -- is for a proposed high-technology project in downtown Youngstown. The governor has enthusiastically embraced the plan to build a market-ready office building that would house high-tech companies now being grown in the Youngstown Business Incubator.
Two years ago, Taft provided the first $1 million out of the capital budget and characterized it as a down payment for the state's participation. The second million gives the Youngstown Central Area Community Improvement Corporation, which is spearheading the project, the ability to apply for a $1 million federal Economic Development Administration grant.
Third Frontier
Federal dollars are much easier to secure if it can be shown that Washington isn't the main source of funding. With the EDA grant, the CIC would be in a position to make the case for federal dollars designated for technology-related projects and would also stand a good chance of securing state dollars that will be available under the governor's Third Frontier technology initiative.
The initiative, designed to make Ohio a leader in high-technology research, in the creation of technology-related jobs and in the recruitment of high-tech companies, will be Taft's top priority in his second term as governor. He scored a landslide victory on Nov. 5 over his Democratic challenger, Tim Hagan, former Cuyahoga County commissioner.
During the campaign, Taft said the Youngstown Business Incubator, which is providing assistance to a dozen start-up companies, would benefit from his Third Frontier plan. He pledged to work with the community improvement corporation to make the high-tech office building project a reality.
The remaining $500,000 of the capital appropriations for Youngstown will be used to help pay for the expansion of Edward W. Powers Auditorium and renovations of Stambaugh Auditorium and Western Reserve Ballet's studio downtown.
We share the disappointment of Trumbull and Columbiana county officials that none of the projects they presented for inclusion in the chamber's wish list were funded, but the governor will have one more biennium capital budget before he leaves office and this region can expect to fare better.