McKelvey squanders chance to deal

Now that Youngstown Mayor George M. McKelvey and members of city council have bet the entire $26.8 million federal grant on the high-risk arena project, is there any reason, other than a personal one, for Democrat McKelvey to endorse Republican President Bush in his re-election bid? The answer is no. Youngstown isn't going to get a huge windfall if Bush wins a second four-year term with the mayor in his corner.
Why? Because any spare change in the federal budget is going to Iraq. And any discretionary dollars for special projects won't be coming to the city -- not after every member of Congress is aware that in 2000, Youngstown received $26.8 million under the Economic Development Initiative grant as a thank-you from House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., to then Democratic Valley Congressman James A. Traficant Jr.
Traficant had supported Hastert for speaker, thus snubbing the leadership of his party, and the Illinois congressman showed his gratitude by agreeing to the $26.8 million grant even though Youngstown officials had not even thought about a convocation/community center -- the so-called arena project.
However, Traficant's grand design for the project -- a sports arena, convention center and 150-room hotel all located near Youngstown State University with a price of $90 million -- was deep-sixed when he was sent to federal prison.
Flexibility
And once it became clear that no developer was willing to risk money on an arena, an effort was made by this writer and others to expand the use the $26.8 million for a variety of economic development projects in the central business district.
Thus, when the mayor called several weeks ago with the following query, "Do you want to go to Washington with me?" it seemed he found a way to give Youngstown the biggest bang for the federal bucks. McKelvey explained that high-ranking state Republicans had been courting him and that the discussion centered on his endorsement of President Bush.
This writer saw it as a chance to make a direct pitch to Bush or his campaign staff for flexibility in spending the $26.8 million. Ohio's two senators, Michael DeWine and George V. Voinovich, both Republicans, had failed in their attempt to amend the original grant language, which meant that the White House was the city's last shot.
McKelvey's contention that Republicans wanted him to endorse Bush, and his interest in going to Washington seemed to offer all sorts of deal-making possibilities.
But just days after the telephone call to this writer, the mayor and members of council decided to blow the $25 million -- $1.5 million had already been spent on the eyebrow-raising purchase of the land between the Market Street and South Avenue bridges -- on the arena. The city has signed contracts with a company that will operate and manage the facility. By any analysis of the financial deal, the company, International Coliseums Co. of Arizona, got the long end of the stick.
Bridges of Baghdad
And so the question: Will Youngstown receive any benefit from McKelvey's endorsement of Bush? The bridges in Baghdad will be rebuilt before the Marshall Street Bridge in downtown Youngstown is reopened.
From a personal standpoint, however, McKelvey could benefit by his publicly embracing the president. He will be termed limited out of office in 2005, which means he may be looking for something to do. If he decided to run for the 6th Congressional District seat as a Republican, he certainly would have the support of the Ohio GOP and the White House if Bush were still the occupant.
The 6th District has a slight Republican voter advantage, even though it is represented by Democrat Ted Strickland.
Democratic officeholders who play footsies with the Republicans are rewarded, as in the case of former state Rep. Michael Verich of Warren, who has served on the State Employment Relations Board since December 1998. Verich was appointed to the cushy job by the outgoing governor, Voinovich, in appreciation for Verich's support in the House.
The job pays $78,208, and while Verich's term ends Oct. 6 this year, he is eligible to be reappointed for another six-year term by the governor, Bob Taft, a Republican.
Verich's recent announcement that he is backing the president as a charter member of Democrats for Bush does stand him in good stead should he want to hold on to the brass ring.