It may be a long-shot, but it's one the area must take
As Congress continues to work on President George W. Bush's proposal to create a Department of Homeland Security, Mahoning County Commissioner Vicki Allen Sherlock believes the Mahoning Valley should be the first to invite the administration and Congress to consider this region for a location of the new department. While it may be long-shot -- there have been suggestions in Washington that such a department should not be located in the nation's capital or any other major metropolitan area that would be natural targets for terrorists -- we believe the Valley must take it. What's to lose?
On the other hand, doing nothing would put us at a major disadvantage if Bush and Congress decided that decentralization makes sense in this case.
Under the president's plan, the Department of Homeland Security would combine 100 scattered federal entities with 170,000 employees and total annual budgets of at least $37 billion. According to Tom Ridge, the head of homeland security and former governor of Pennsylvania, Bush wants Congress to pass legislation creating the department this year and is aiming for a start-up date of Jan. 1.
Transition planning
On Thursday, the president issued an executive order instructing the Office of Management and Budget to create a transition planning office that Ridge will lead.
While Democrats and Republicans in Congress clearly support the initiative, there are many important issues that must be addressed before there is a vote on the legislation. At some point, legislators will deal with the nuts-and-bolts of creating a new department, and that's when the Mahoning Valley's initiative could pay off.
At the very least, Ohio's two senators, Mike DeWine and George V. Voinovich, should be made aware of the Valley's interest in accommodating the new department.
Commissioner Sherlock has written a letter to President Bush offering a "secure and strategic location" for the Department of Homeland Security. The letter should be signed by commissioners from Mahoning and Trumbull counties and endorsed by all local governments. It also warrants the support of the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber.