State auto council must include Valley residents

The good news is that Gov. Ted Strickland has established the Ohio Auto Industry Support Council to ensure that the automotive industry in the state remains a driver of the economy. The much better news will be the appointment of a resident or residents of the Mahoning Valley to serve on the panel.

No one can deny that this region has become a major player in the new General Motors Corp. because of the Lordstown assembly plant, and will have a key role in the future success of the company.

The investment of more than $1.3 billion by GM to upgrade the facility for the production of the Cruze, the new compact car to replace the highly successful Chevrolet Cobalt, which is also built in Lordstown, is a sign of faith in this region.

We applaud Gov. Strickland’s desire to “assist auto businesses up and down the supply chain, to support workers who deserve a more certain future, and to partner with our automotive communities as they respond to the impacts of the automobile crisis at the local level.”

But, the state of Ohio must do whatever is necessary to ensure that GM’s assembly plant in Lordstown not only responds to the needs of the auto maker, but establishes the foundation of a long-term relationship.

If the Cruze is a success — we have no doubt that the quality and the cost of production will make it a top seller in its class — the state will reap the benefits.

For this reason, we urge Strickland, who has shown an unwavering commitment to the Mahoning Valley, to appoint someone from the Lordstown plant and a community leader to the auto industry support council. Under the plan outlined by the governor Wednesday, the co-chairs of the council will be Eric Burkland, president of the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, and Ken Lortz, director of Ohio’s United Auto Workers Region 2B.

Volunteer members

The council will be made up of volunteer members: the directors of the Ohio departments of development and job and family services, the chancellor of higher education, individuals with expertise in worker retraining, industry transition and community stability, a representative of the auto dealers, and one legislator recommended by each of the four legislative leaders.

The council will work closely with the General Assembly’s Joint Select Committee on the Auto Industry.

Because General Motors’ future is inextricably tied to its Lordstown facility, the council must hear from individuals who are on the front lines of the company’s fight to regain its position as the top auto manufacturer in the world.

The production of the Cruze, while an important moment in the history of the company, the Valley and the state of Ohio, is only the beginning. The way to ensure GM’s long presence in the region is to facilitate the establishment of a research and development facility in Youngstown in conjunction with Youngstown State University for the next generation of the Cruze.

With technology in the auto industry changing almost daily, and with the competition raising the bar on quality, fuel efficiency and cost, R&D must be an integral part of the Cruze’s development.

General Motors chose its Lordstown facility for the new compact model because of the exceptional labor-management relationship, the high-quality products exemplified by the Cobalt and Pontiac G5 and the willingness of state and local governments to do whatever was necessary to secure the new product.

Now that we — the region and the state — have it, we must not lose it.