TAX ABATEMENTS Panels propose business-school relationships

School construction permit fees and a central stadium were topics.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Education and development officials are looking at linking schools with businesses receiving city tax breaks.
The education committees of the city council and board of education talked Wednesday about such a tie-in. The discussion came during talk about tax abatements.
The suggestion was asking companies on the city's tax break application if they'd become involved with internships or other educational programs in city schools.
Schools need commitments from private business if public education is to advance, said Jamael Brown, a school board member. Business-school relationships strengthen communities, he said.
"We're looking for something to make that link to the schools," Brown said.
Jeffrey L. Chagnot, city development director, said asking companies to become more involved with schools shouldn't be a problem.
The school district should distribute information about its programs to businesses, he said. They city will help do that, he said.
Chagnot even suggested that companies making donations to schools receive tax breaks beyond the city's standard 75 percent abatement. The school board must approve any tax break beyond 75 percent.
2 other issues
The sides took up two other issues:
UDistrict officials raised concerns about having to pay city permit fees on new school construction all at once.
For example, the district paid fees on the new Taft school as each permit was needed, said board member Shelly Murray. The district had to pay all $78,000 up front, however, for the permits needed for the new East High School, she said.
City council members said they would look into the matter.
Carmen Conglose Jr., deputy director of public works, said by law the city must collect permit fees when they are issued.
School architects sought all the permits for East High at once, so the city had to collect all the fees at once, Conglose said. School architects sought permits for Taft piecemeal, he said.
The district can avoid paying for a project's entire fee at once by seeking permits job by job, he said.
UOfficials talked about a location for the proposed central stadium for city high schools.
Backers say a privately built, $5.5 million, 8,000-seat stadium and track would need three to five acres. Supporters are eyeing a spot along the Market Street Bridge next to the downtown arena under construction now.
The arena needs about 20 acres of the 26-acre site, Chagnot said.
A stadium near the bridge would be a problem because a water retention pond is planned for that spot, he said. A stadium possibly could fit between the arena and the Mahoning River, he said.
Feasibility will be determined later, said Carol Rimedio-Righetti, D-4th, and a stadium supporter.
A more important development for now was the school board's support expressed Tuesday for a stadium project, she said.
rgsmith@vindy.com