Inspector general supports Valley legislators' position on chamber

COLUMBUS

The Ohio legislative inspector general has issued an opinion supporting the decision by the Mahoning Valley’s state legislators to sever their ties with the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber regarding funding for arts projects.

The IG’s office concurs with the decision that local legislators “will not regard the Chamber as a facilitator or evaluator of capital bill requests going forward,” wrote Tony Bledsoe, the IG with the Joint Legislative Ethics Commission.

“This was considered a necessary step to restore public confidence in the capital bill process in the Mahoning Valley,” Bledsoe added in the opinion submitted at the request of local legislators.

The legislators told Bledsoe the chamber was soliciting and, in some cases, accepting $5,000 from arts organizations in exchange for its advocacy for capital projects funds for fiscal years 2017 and 2018.

Ream more about the situation and reaction from area legislators in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.