Universities should improve ties with high-tech industries

Universities should improve ties with high-tech industries
EDITOR:
I don't profess to have the knowledge that resulted in the state's decision to cut funding that enabled YSU students to work and learn at "high-tech" jobs while supporting legislation to enhance tax incentives to the automobile industry.
However, should we not be asking the logic of these decisions when a leading auto industry expert (as reported in last Sunday's Vindicator) is telling us that a major factor to plant location are the skill level of the work force, not tax incentives. Another article appearing in the same Vindicator reported a state program that provided 70 YSU students with $170,000 in funding is being eliminated. This program provided area engineering firms with funds that allowed them to partially defer the costs of hiring the students.
These are jobs that enabled the students to advance their education through gaining experience and earning money to pay their tuition. Additionally the program had the potential to increase the pool of qualified workers, because according to Engineering Dean Hirtzel, the students are often able to retain jobs after graduation with the same employers.
Perhaps based upon the observations of a leading industry expert and the YSU engineering dean, the package of incentives offered to automobile manufacturers should include the enhancement of programs that will increase the potential for attracting and retaining a skilled work force. It could be a winning formula to further the goals of the auto industry, its employees, area universities and advance the economic development of the region.
ARNOLD J. CLEBONE
Youngstown
Price of natural gas doubles; could this be gouging?
EDITOR:
$15.29. That's how much we are paying for a MCF, a single unit, of natural gas to heat our home. Only a year ago, we were paying $7.95, almost half of this year's price. No doubt many people agree that this jump in price is outrageous and uncalled for. Natural gas is as its name implies, it comes from the earth and is in limited supply. Considering this, it only makes sense that the price of natural gas will go up, but not this much.
On Dec. 11, the article, "Utilities explain lack of control over rising cost" explained how it was the producers who controlled the prices of natural gas. I believe that the producers in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania have no reason to impose these high prices. The amount of natural gas in the area surely hasn't depleted so much for prices to double.
Hurricane Katrina and Rita may have caused severe damage to producers in the Gulf of Mexico, but as stated in the article, natural gas production and distribution is regional. Things have remained unchanged in our area, no natural gas plants have closed like in the south.
There is absolutely no reason for natural gas to go up almost 100 percent after only a single year. I believe that natural gas producers are price gouging and something needs to be done about it. A ceiling on natural gas prices would be a good start for now. Otherwise how do they expect people who barely manage to pay their gas bill last year to pay it this year?
DEREK THIRY
Lake Milton
Don't look at me
EDITOR:
I was amazed that the mayor of New Orleans would blame the hurricanes on God being mad at America. To anyone with half a brain it should be perfectly obvious that he was only mad at the Gulf Coast and certain parts of Florida. Well, maybe also parts of the Mayan peninsula in Mexico and a small portion of Texas.
JOHN ZEDAKER
Poland