Ryan urges voters to support TJX referendum Tuesday

AUSTINTOWN — U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan urged Lordstown voters to support a referendum on Tuesday’s ballot to allow TJX to build a $170 million HomeGoods regional distribution center in the village.

“This will be a huge boom to the Valley; 1,000 jobs,” Ryan of Howland, D-13th, said standing outside Starbucks on state Route 46 in Austintown.

It’s “a lot of private-sector investment. With all the uncertainty going on in Lordstown right now this would be something that would secure them well into the future.”

A yes vote on the referendum Tuesday would keep zoning changes of the property from residential to industrial in place and the project on track. A majority no vote likely would kill the project as it would overturn the zoning changes.

Meanwhile, Ryan said he’s continuing to work on options for the Northside Regional Medical Center after its owners announced last week it would close it Sept. 20.

Ryan said providing medical services to veterans is one option. But he said opening high-tech businesses there is another.