Why was the Valley overlooked by the feds?

By David Skolnick

To explain the federal government’s efforts to help save the struggling American automotive industry, President Barack Obama sent administration officials and members of his Cabinet to “visit auto communities” from Tuesday to today.

They made stops in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin.

Lisa P. Jackson, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, visited Columbus and Cincinnati on Wednesday to discuss federal stimulus money for clean diesel programs.

Also that day, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and Ed Montgomery, Obama’s auto recovery czar, visited Cleveland to, according to a White House e-mail, “discuss how Cleveland and other auto communities can use [public and private] partnerships to spur growth and new reinvestment in manufacturing sites.”

Solis also visited Perrysburg and Maumee earlier in the week.

Eaton and Lima were stops for Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Small Business Administrator Karen Mills.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar spoke Tuesday at Cuyahoga Valley National Park asking Americans to visit national parks this summer. With gasoline at $2.79 a gallon and climbing, that should be a fun trip.

The feel-good visits are fine.

I’m just wondering why the Mahoning Valley was completely ignored by the Obama administration on these stops through the Midwest.

The General Motors complex in Lordstown isn’t exactly thriving at this point.

Only last year, the plant had a third shift. Today, it’s down to one — and that one shift has had a number of forced stoppages because of declining car sales.

Staffing went from 4,500 to 1,800 in less than 12 months.

When GM declared bankruptcy earlier this week, the Valley received good news. The company plans to add a second shift at some point in the future. An executive said he wouldn’t rule out a third shift in 2012, but don’t count on it.

The plant isn’t going to shut down as it will be the American home of the Chevrolet Cruze, GM’s next generation small car.

But perhaps the point that the plant isn’t shutting down, but has lost two-thirds of its shifts in such a short period of time, is a reason for the Obama administration to focus on Lordstown.

It’s terrible that auto plants are closing nationwide, including Chrysler’s stamping plant in Twinsburg.

We have a plant in Lordstown that has been devastated by the country’s economic collapse in an area with an incredibly high unemployment rate. The reality is an economic recovery isn’t around the corner, particularly for the Mahoning Valley, and the federal stimulus package isn’t going to be much of a help to this area.

No reply

I e-mailed the White House media affairs office earlier this week to find out why the Valley was ignored. Like they did with the area, my e-mail was ignored. Maybe they were too busy booking the next tour.

I did receive information through back channels that it was decided that coming to a facility that is still operating wouldn’t be looked upon in a positive light by residents of Twinsburg or other communities that are losing plants.

That would make sense if Lordstown hasn’t seen such a reduction in its staffing level. This is a plant that has a chance to succeed, but it’s also a facility that needs help.

While we’re optimistic and hopeful for the future of the GM plant in Lordstown, there are no guarantees for its future.

A quick hello from a Cabinet member won’t turn around the Valley’s economic situation.

But a little acknowledgement couldn’t hurt.