City should not risk losing momentum downtown

City should not risk losing momentum downtown

EDITOR:

As the city of Youngstown attempts to resolve financial issues for FY 2008-2009, it is apparent that a balanced budget will be dependant on unpleasant but necessary sacrifices in services offered to the citizens. This is a bittersweet reality but part of the fiscal responsibilities we expect of elected officials.

Obvious are the concerns in necessary cuts to safety services, public works and other key departments in the city. It is the unobvious which concern the authors of this letter.

Under the Williams administration, we have seen great strides in economic development occurring in the downtown. This can be attributed to the “can do” mindset of city council, the administration, the economic development office and the finance department and their use of powerful development tools to garner investment in the city. Programs such as the Youngstown/SBA Incentive, Citywide Facade Renovation Program and the HUB Zone Empowerment Contracting Program represent powerful lures for investment and establishing true partnerships with private sector businesses, lending institutions and government. It is nurturing in the truest sense of the word.

The Sweet Jenny Land Company’s redevelopment of the John R. Davis Building on West Federal Street is a shining example of the success of those programs and the entities that administer them. Without them and the partnership they breed, the John R. Davis Building would have remained abandoned and eventually would have fallen to the wrecking ball. Because of these programs, this project was able to happen.

We urge the members of city council and the finance committee to carefully assess the value of these programs and the funding of the respective departments that administer them. Deep cuts in these programs or to the administering of these programs would be counterproductive. It would be a travesty to halt the great forward momentum experienced over the past three years by economically crippling these programs which ultimately will bring jobs, revenues and, most importantly, hope to our city.

PAUL E. HAGMAN, president

FRANK A. RULLI, vice president

RONALD CORNELL FANIRO, secretary-treasurer

The Sweet Jenny Land Company

Youngstown

Suburbs tell themselves the city doesn’t matter

EDITOR:

Austintown Trustee Bo Pritchard is another one of those who loudly announce that Youngstown’s end of the canoe is sinking, and they want no part of Youngstown’s development plan. After all, Austintown is doing quite well, thank you.

Sure it is.

Pritchard, and others echoing his attitude, have failed to notice that if Youngstown crashes, they will too, along with all the rest of the suburbs.

What he, and the others need to do is participate in the planning process. The Mahoning Valley region will prosper as a cooperating whole, or crash as they squabble away all chances of turning the Valley around.

JEROME K. STEPHENS

Warren