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STATE OF THE CITY
Youngstown’s Mayor Williams outlines 2009 priorities
The mayor will seek re-election, but, this time, as a Democrat.
YOUNGSTOWN — Mayor Jay Williams said his priorities for 2009 will include keeping the city’s budget balanced, putting into effect the city’s landlord registration program and achieving another 28 percent or greater reduction in the city’s homicide rate.
“We’re going to again face some very tough economic challenges, but I believe that, if we work together as a city hall, labor and management, that we can get through 2009, hopefully with no deficit and no layoffs,” the mayor said.
“We want to continue our neighborhood development. We’ve seen demolition have a positive impact on our neighborhoods,” the mayor said.
The mayor said he wants to use the city’s multimillion-dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to strengthen neighborhoods through demolition and rehabilitation and to put into effect the landlord registration program.
The registration program, which has been on the books for six years, has so far been dormant, he said. The mayor said he’ll keep his campaign promise to put that program into effect in his first term.
The mayor, who announced he will seek re-election in this year’s Democratic primary, delivered his State of the City address Saturday at his annual community celebration at Stambaugh Auditorium, attended by 425 people.
Despite rumors that he’ll be leaving to join the Obama administration, the mayor said, “I’m going to be right here seeking election.”
Williams said he’ll run as a Democrat because changes in the law would make it impossible for him to run again as an independent because of his support for Gov. Ted Strickland and President-elect Barack Obama in Democratic primaries.
“I’m still going to work very well with my close Republican friends and the independents, but this time, the vehicle that I will run with will be the Democratic primary,” Williams said.
“The City of Youngstown, I think, is well-positioned to lead the way as it relates to the economic stimulus package,” the mayor said.
Mayor Williams added that he’ll be giving a keynote speech in Washington in mid-February to members of Congress and officials of the new administration concerning “how cities like Youngstown should be leading the way in these difficult economic times.” The mayor said that conference will be sponsored by the Brookings Institute.
One of the most positive historic events of 2008 was the election of Barack Obama as president, the mayor said. “Whether you’re a Democrat, an independent or a Republican, there’s something that we can all take away from that election and be proud of,” he said.
In a “very tumultuous economic environment,” the city started 2008 facing a deficit of more than $2 million with a threat of having to lay off city employees, but ended the year without laying off any city employees, the mayor noted.
“We were able to ultimately manage with a small surplus because we knew we had to do more with less,” he said, crediting city department heads, workers and their unions with recognizing the need for adjustments to the difficult financial times.
The city also experienced a 28 percent decline in its homicide rate, which the mayor attributed to good police work, the block watches and partnerships between the city administration and community groups.
This is the fourth year for the social event, which was originally established as the mayor’s inaugural ball after Williams was elected as an independent candidate in 2005.
“It was intended to be a one-time event, but the community indicated that they had an overwhelmingly good time seeing family and friends. It gives us an opportunity to get dressed up and feel good about ourselves and feel good about the community,” the mayor said, explaining why the party is now an annual event.
The guest list was an interracial who’s who of the city and its suburbs, including elected and appointed city officials, lawyers, clergy, and political, business and professional leaders.
The $50-per-person black-tie party was in support of the Mayor’s Community Foundation, a nonprofit corporation that is a component fund of the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley.
Proceeds from the ball will continue to provide funds for nonprofit organizations serving underprivileged women, children and families residing in Youngstown.
Scott Schulick of Youngstown, event co-chairman, said the event typically nets at least $10,000 annually for its nonprofit beneficiaries.
“We’ve tried to make an impact by giving grants to organizations which would not otherwise receive funds from a lot of other sources,” Schulick said.
Besides its charitable function, the party “is a night out for the people of the city of Youngstown and the surrounding area. There are very few events in this city where people have an opportunity to wear an evening gown or a tuxedo,” he observed.
One of the guests was U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, who said he has attended the event two or three times.
“We can support the mayor in supporting a lot of these community organizations that have had funding cut in the last few years because of the economy,” he said of the event.
“It’s an opportunity for the mayor to signal his priorities as to where he sees the city going and what community organizations and what programs he’s supporting, so that we all know at the federal or state level how to get behind them and support them,” the congressman added.