Negative perception of Valley is still real

The Mahoning Valley's penchant for shooting the messenger when the message isn't to our liking can clearly be seen in the ongoing debate over a report on the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport from Bruce E. Miller, former chief executive officer of Rickenbacker Port Authority in Columbus.
Miller was hired in May 2002 by the Western Reserve Port Authority to determine what role the authority and the airport could play in the economic revitalization of the region. He was to be paid $88,000 for 12 months' part-time work, but he left early.
However, before Miller departed, he issued the now infamous "Notes on the Synthesis of an Approach to Economic Development for the Western Reserve Port Authority in the context of the Mahoning Valley," for which he was paid $30,000.
And although the document is chock-full of advice on how the region can utilize the many tools at its disposal to compete in the global marketplace, many in the Valley, led by WKBN Radio talk show host Ron Verb, have focused on these observations from him:
"Residents and outsiders also have a generally negative view of the community due to years of negative political and organized crime activity with the resultant concern that the world often views the Valley with disdain and ridicule. This appears to augment a clannish attitude locally that is often hostile to outsiders; including those who have left in search of a better life, and those insiders who might try to improve or change conditions. What's the use? It's a joker not a wild card. Get your licks in while you can.
"Most importantly to the issue of economic development is that national and international businesses seeking new manufacturing, transportation and distribution locations and their professional advisers have the initial perception that it is hard to run a business in a community with the above identified conditions. Plus, they view the Valley as being union dominated, which will, they believe, drive up the cost of doing business if not making it prohibitive to their needs. Subsequently, most businesses won't even consider locating in the Valley."
Aggressive unions?
Miller expounds on the issue of unions in a section dealing with economic growth: "[It] is the base of union work force that makes new businesses think twice before coming into the community. Anecdotal information is frequently offered to say that the unions are aggressive by nature, and even if they back off during the business attraction process, they will be at your door within one year of its opening.
"While making no judgment on the role or value of unions to the community, in the highly competitive world of business locations, perception is reality."
And for that, Miller continues to be burned at the verbal stake.
Union leaders, some members of the port authority and the anti-airport chorus have been quick to condemn the report. Verb and his minions charge that the authority has squandered $30,000.
But those in high dudgeon over Miller's observations are missing the point. Here is someone with a track record in development -- he is credited with landing more than 50 businesses and $600 million in real estate development for a Rickenbacker industrial park -- and with business contacts around the country telling us that there is a perception of the Valley that should be cause for concern.
Of course the region is no longer the center of labor unrest that it was once was, but if people on the outside still view us through those old lenses, it means the story of the "new Valley" isn't being heard around the state and around the country.
Cobalt
General Motors Corp.'s decision to build the Cobalt, the next generation of its compact cars, at its Lordstown assembly plant is proof of the new management-labor climate that now exists. The Valley should develop a national marketing strategy around the decision. Imagine the impact of a television commercial that features GM's chief executive officer talking about how the world's leading auto manufacturer could have gone anywhere in the world to build the Cobalt, but chose the Mahoning Valley.
Or imagine the heads of Timken Latrobe, Delphi Packard and Android Industries in a commercial singing the praises of this region in explaining why they have located operations in the industrial park adjacent to the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport.
Rather than shoot the messenger -- Miller -- for his report, political and community leaders should read it carefully and contemplate this fact: Perception is reality for those outside the Valley.