Regionalize, group urges area leaders

The group is looking to add more executives from companies around the area.
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR
VIENNA -- A group of area business leaders is considering a push for combining school districts or forming a regional local government.
The executives, who have been meeting for more than a year, haven't selected a plan of action, but they are sure of one thing: Local governments and schools must cut costs.
"Business leaders really need to start pounding their fists on the table," said Rick Schiraldi, an accountant and partner with Cohen & amp; Co. in Youngstown.
Schiraldi and David Paull, vice president of RTI International Metals in Weathersfield, are chairmen of a group that met Friday at Squaw Creek Country Club.
The group of 25 talked about having one school system for an entire county and pushing for a charter form of county government. Summit County, for example, has an elected county executive and an 11-member county council.
No decisions were made, but the group clearly was aggravated by statistics presented by Pat Livingston, news director of WYTV, that said the area's population is falling but government jobs are increasing.
"You in this room represent an alternative voice," said Dr. George McCloud, special assistant to the president at Youngstown State University. "You must raise that voice."
The lone elected official in the room, Judge Larry Turner of Newton Falls Municipal Court, agreed.
Leading the fight
Business leaders must lead the fight to downsize government and reduce wasteful spending so more money can be spent on economic development and worthwhile projects such as the Youngstown Business Incubator, he said.
This business group is nearly ready to take up that charge, Schiraldi said.
Another informational meeting with officials from Allegheny County in Pennsylvania will be scheduled first. Friday's meeting included a presentation by Dan Colantone, president of the Greater Akron Chamber.
Schiraldi said he hopes to begin drawing in more senior executives from the area's biggest companies. Included in the group already are bankers, accountants, small-business owners and health-care executives.
The Mahoning Valley needs a branding identity to attract the attention of companies around the country, Schiraldi said. He thinks that identity could be being known as the place where government costs were brought down.
Increased urgency
Tom Humphries, president of the Regional Chamber, said after the meeting that he felt a sense of urgency building among business leaders.
Humphries formed the Business-Led Development Group of Mahoning Valley in 2005 with U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, and David Sweet, president of YSU. It has four committees -- constructive dialogue, brainpower, branding and innovation.
Humphries said it's clear from Friday's meeting that the constructive dialogue committee is leaning toward a push for consolidating government. The group will have two or three more meetings, he said.
The only certainty is that there will be a call for change, he said.
Schiraldi said the group should not try to dictate the answers to the politicians. It will be better to push for change and allow them to work out the solution, he said.
Colantone said the push of business leaders is crucial, but the area will also need politicians to take up the cause.