YOUNGSTOWN Issue 1 is an opportunity for Valley, official says

Communities will aggressively compete for a share of the funding, he said.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Mahoning Valley could greatly benefit from the state's Third Frontier initiative, particularly in the areas of fuel cell development and advanced manufacturing, Bruce Johnson, Ohio Department of Development director, said today.
The final piece of the $1.6 billion state program to develop and promote high-technology industry is on Tuesday's ballot. Residents will vote on state Issue 1, which, if passed, will allow the state to borrow $500 million over the next 10 years toward the Third Frontier initiative.
The Mahoning Valley has gotten left out entirely or received only a small piece of the pie in other statewide initiatives in the past with most of the money going to the state's three largest cities: Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus.
Cooperation is key
After a speech today at Youngstown State University's DeBartolo Stadium Club to a group of local business and political officials, Johnson acknowledged that the grab for Issue 1 cash will be "extremely competitive," and areas of the state that are the best organized and present the best proposals will get the money. Johnson stressed the importance of regional cooperation in any Issue 1 proposal.
But the Valley could be one of those areas, Johnson said.
"A lot rests on universities to be an engine and to focus on work force development," Johnson said, adding that YSU has done much in filling that role in the area.
Fuel cells could be one area in the Valley that could receive funding from Issue 1, he said.
Dann agrees
State Sen. Marc Dann of Liberty, who heard Johnson's speech, agreed. He said the partnership on fuel cells between Kent State University Trumbull Campus and Delphi Packard Electric Systems and Thomas Steel Strip Corp. in Trumbull County is an ideal Issue 1-funded initiative.
"The opportunity in this area for Issue 1 funding is there," said Dann, D-32nd.
Dann praised the Issue 1 initiative, but says borrowing $500 million over a decade, or $50 million a year, for high-tech is too small. He would have preferred $1 billion over 10 years, or $500 million over 5 years.
"It's like mowing your lawn with scissors," he said. "We need to invest so much more. It's absolutely critical that we do more because everyday we fall further and further behind. If you've got $50 million a year and Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland will probably get $10 million each, that means we have to fight with the rest of the state for the other $20 million."
Johnson says he too would have liked to have seen the state borrow more money for the Issue 1 program, but the political climate in Columbus made that impossible.
"It's what we can do at this time," he said.
State Rep. Sylvester D. Patton Jr. of Youngstown, who also heard Johnson's speech, said he believes the Valley will be competitive for Issue 1 money.
"I think the Valley will benefit," said Patton, D-60th. "We're not Columbus, Cleveland or Cincinnati, but this administration will make sure this Valley will benefit to show there isn't a big-city bias."
A high-tech focus is needed in Ohio, which is perceived nationwide as not being a technology state, Johnson said. The state needs to improve its reputation, and encourage the growth and expansion of high-tech industries in order to be competitive in the global economy, he said.