Mahoning County urged to defund chamber

YOUNGSTOWN — State Rep. Robert Hagan is the latest to question the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber’s ability to be politically unbiased.

In a letter to the Mahoning County commissioners and county administrator today, Hagan, of Youngstown, D-60th, pressed the commissioners office to stop funding the chamber for further

economic-development projects.

This letter comes a little more than one week after David Betras, Mahoning County Democratic Party chairman, and Bruce Zoldan, chief executive officer for B.J. Alan Co., withdrew their memberships and support for the local chamber because chamber President Tom Humphries co-hosted a fundraising event for John Kasich, Republican candidate for governor.

“There is no integrity in allowing the primary business-advocacy institution in our county to use public dollars in a quest for partisan political supremacy,” Hagan said in the letter. “The Chamber’s excessive partisan activity this cycle has raised sobering concerns as to whether or not they are able to bring serious and realized economic benefits and business resources to our communities in an unbiased manner.”

Hagan told The Vindicator he expects the commissioners to take his letter seriously and act on it accordingly.

For the complete story, see Saturday's Vindicator and Vindy.com