Good/bad of Valley joining Appalachia

By David Skolnick

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown, Warren, and the rest of Mahoning and Trumbull counties: Meet Oktibbeha, Tippah, Tishomingo and Yalobusha counties in Mississippi.

Why the greeting? Because Mahoning and Trumbull counties are about to join those areas in the Appalachian Regional Commission.

U.S. Rep. Steven LaTourette, R-14th, of Bainbridge Township, had failed in three previous attempts to include those two counties as well as Ashtabula County in the commission.

His fourth attempt succeeded.

“I wasn’t going to back down, and I’m thrilled that the fight to keep the counties on the list worked,” said LaTourette, whose district includes seven northern townships in Trumbull and all of Ashtabula.

The U.S. House approved the inclusion of 10 counties, including the three in Ohio, in the commission by voice vote Tuesday. The Senate already authorized the bill that funds the commission over the next five years with those counties added as new members. The Senate was to appropriate the money — $510 million over five years, including $87 million this fiscal year — today. Then the bill heads to the president for approval.

Mahoning, Trumbull and Ashtabula will join 29 of Ohio’s 88 counties already in the commission.

Ohio receives about $4 million annually from the commission.

“Any time we can put this area in a position to receive federal dollars for economic development and improve quality of life, we’re going to do it,” said U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, whose district includes portions of Mahoning and Trumbull. He has long supported LaTourette’s effort.

The designation often causes projects to be fast-tracked or given preference for other federal and/or state money, LaTourette said. The commission funds projects such as workforce training, infrastructure improvements, small-business start-ups and expansions, and downtown revitalization, he said.

“Some people think there’s a negative stigma to the Appalachian designation, but I think that’s short-sighted thinking and a bit of economic snobbery,” LaTourette said.

That’s not the case among elected officials in the Valley.

Trumbull County Commissioner Frank Fuda, Mahoning Commissioners Anthony Traficanti and John McNally IV, and Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams said they had no problem with the designation as long as it helps the counties.

“The benefits will be modest, but it will outweigh the concerns people have about being part of Appalachia,” Williams said.

There are more than 410 counties in the region including Columbiana in Ohio and Lawrence and Mercer in Pennsylvania.

skolnick@vindy.com