Mayor vows deal with Girard over V&M is near

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Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams

YOUNGSTOWN — A deal with Girard to share tax revenue from a potential V&M Star Steel expansion will be done by late next week, Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams vowed today.

Williams made the statements even though Girard Mayor James Melfi said just a day earlier that the tax split is a “major obstacle” in getting a contract between the two cities finalized.

“By this time next week or the end of next week at the latest we’ll have an agreement in place,” Williams said.

Williams and others involved in negotiations have said in the past that the deal would be done at certain times.

“We keep saying that,” Williams acknowledged about statements concerning previous statements about a final deal that has yet to materialize.

Despite failing to work out a deal with Girard and Melfi’s public comments about the two cities being far apart, Williams said today, “We believe we are very close to an agreement.”

Officials with the two cities are in a closed-door meeting now to discuss how a 2.75 percent corporate-profit tax would be shared if V&M Star Steel decides to build a $970 million expansion here.

Also today, Youngstown City Council voted 7-0 in opposition to Issue 3, a state constitutional amendment on the Nov. 3 ballot to build four gambling casinos in Ohio.

For the complete story, read Thursday’s Vindicator or Vindy.com