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Officials support passage of issue
The program was first approved eight years ago by voters.
YOUNGSTOWN — Local political and business officials are supporting an issue on the Nov. 4 ballot to permit the state to borrow $400 million to clean up polluted, abandoned industrial sites as well as to preserve farmland and increase recreational space.
State Issue 2 on the ballot, called Continue Clean Ohio by its supporters, would continue a program first approved in 2000 by voters. The program to borrow $400 million went into effect in 2001 and is set to expire at the end of the year.
During that time, more than $9 million went to projects in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.
“Through the Clean Ohio program, communities like Youngstown are able to take advantage of underutilized property and use it to preserve and create jobs, while also preserving green space and improving the quality of life for the citizens of Ohio,” opined state Rep. Robert F. Hagan of Youngstown, D-60th.
Among the more notable local projects funded by the initial Clean Ohio fund are:
U$750,000 toward removing asbestos and demolishing five buildings in downtown Youngstown that is now the location of the Taft Technology Center.
U$1.1 million for the remediation and demolition of Royal Sebring Properties, a former pottery-manufacturing site in Sebring.
U$578,495 to acquire 119 acres of land for the expansion of Howland Township Wildlife Preserve and Howland Township Park.
U$400,000 for the East Palestine Community Walking/Bicycle Trail project that connects it to an existing trail.
“Without those funds, we would have been hard-pressed to do the [Taft Technology] project,” said Julie Michael Smith, chief development officer of the Youngstown Business Incubator, which oversees the Taft building.
Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams said the program is one that benefits both those in the city and in rural areas.
“We’re talking about continuing a successful program,” he said.
The Regional Chamber and Bill DiCicco, head of the Mahoning River Consortium, also support the ballot issue.
The various local officials announced their support Monday at the incubator.
The program has received bipartisan support from elected officials throughout the state.
skolnick@vindy.com