Mahoning officials fuming over state cuts to summer youth jobs program

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County officials are fuming about the state’s cutback in the county’s summer youth employment program from $1,067,139 last year to $246,494 this year.

This year’s summer employment program for youths from low-income families is only for 14- and 15-year-olds, whereas the program in previous years was for those between age 14 and 24.

The summer jobs program is federally funded and state administered.

This year, those between age 16 and 24 won’t be able to join a stand-alone summer employment program; but they will be able to join a new state-sponsored year-round job readiness program, known as the Comprehensive Case Management and Employment Program.

The year-round program features skills and needs assessments, academic tutoring, study-skills instruction and paid and unpaid work experience.

“How do you put them in county government offices when they’re not even 18 years old?” asked Mahoning County Commissioner Carol Rimedio-Righetti, referring to the new limitation of stand-alone summer employment to 14- and 15-year-olds.

“I’m a little upset that they cut this program because this, to me, was a chance for all our kids to come out and have summer work to make some money,” she added.

“I’m a little upset that when something’s working, we have to shut it down,” she said.

“The people that are most vulnerable are the poor and the middle class. Those are the people we’re hurting, and these are the people with the children that actually need some help, and they cut the program,” the commissioner said.

Read more reaction to the situation in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.