Proposed rules for state program unfair to Valley, group to tell official

Youngstown is looking at the plan from a regional standpoint, the mayor said.
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- "Slow down" and "even the playing field" are the messages a delegation of Mahoning Valley officials will take to a meeting Wednesday with Ohio Lt. Gov. Bruce Johnson about the Job Ready Sites Program.
Johnson, who also is director of the Ohio Department of Development, is the chief authority, along with Gov. Bob Taft, for developing rules for the Job Ready Sites Program.
Though rules for the program have not been finalized, there are proposals floating around the state that concern local officials, particularly those from smaller urban areas such as Struthers, Warren and Campbell.
For instance, if the sites must be at least 150 acres for manufacturing sites, and 250 acres for office complexes, as proposed, that immediately takes Struthers and other cities like it out of the game, said Struthers Mayor Daniel Mamula.
Funding schedule
Also, there is talk about making $60 million available in the first round of funding this year, rather than two rounds of $30 million each. The $60 million represents 40 percent of the money that will be available over the next seven years under the project, Mamula said during a panel discussion of the matter Monday at a meeting of the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments General Policy Board.
The first round of any funding program is like a "shakedown cruise," he said. To put 40 percent of the money into the first round, before it is known how things will work when they meet reality, makes no sense, Mamula said.
Voters approved the Job Ready Sites Program in the November 2005 general election as part of a statewide economic development program known as Issue 1.
Program details
Under the Job Ready program, the state will sell $150 million in bonds to be disbursed over seven years as competitive grants and low-interest loans to county and municipal governments, port authorities and nonprofit business organizations, which could receive grants up to $5 million to pay for 75 percent of site improvements. A 25 percent local share is required.
Both Mahoning and Trumbull County voters heavily supported Issue 1. But now, officials from those counties are worried that if the rules being considered are enacted, urban areas such as Youngstown, Warren, Struthers, Campbell and others in northeast Ohio would find it difficult or impossible to qualify for funding because of site size.
For that reason, they want the process slowed until they can make their case with state officials for rules that level the playing field with suburban areas.
United front
Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams said he is on board with the mayors of small communities even though his city might have one or two sites that would "approach the criteria."
"We are concerned because we are looking at this from a regional standpoint. We're not going to say good for us and too bad for you. That would be irresponsible," Williams said.
Other members of the Job Ready Sites panel, besides Mamula and Williams, are Campbell Mayor John Dill and Joseph Warino, Mahoning County sanitary engineer and chairman of Eastgate's District 6 Public Works Integration Committee.
The state needs to hear from the Mahoning Valley what would work best for it. Funding from the Job Ready Sites Program should come to the Valley, Warino said.
The Eastgate Regional COG adopted a resolution Monday urging that rules for the Job Ready Sites Program be less restrictive for smaller urban areas and that the money be distributed on an even geographical basis.
In a related matter, Mamula proposed formation of an association of mayors representing cities and villages along the Mahoning River corridor from Newton Falls to Lowellville.
Mamula said the association, which he called the River Corridor Mayors Association, would collaborate on matters of common concern, such as regionalization, economic and community development, and represent the interests of older, urban communities with local, state and federal officials and agencies.
Mamula said 180,000 people live in the communities along the river.
alcorn@vindy.com