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$1.37M to go to police in region
TweetYoungstown will likely use its $594K allocation to help ‘avoid or minimize layoffs,’ Mayor Williams said.
YOUNGSTOWN — Eighteen area law enforcement agencies are eligible to receive about $1.37 million from the federal stimulus package to help hire and retain officers and for crime-fighting programs.
The Friday announcement on law enforcement funding is the latest — the fourth this week — from the Obama administration about where money from the $787 billion stimulus package is going.
Youngstown is the primary beneficiary of the law enforcement money in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys. The city is to receive $593,931.
It’s good news for the city that’s facing a projected $3.39 million deficit for this year. But more work needs to be done.
“The funds will most likely be used as part of our effort to avoid or minimize layoffs,” said Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams. “However, in order to accomplish this goal, it will also require cooperation from the police union. We intend to again request a meeting with them next week to explore options to do the same.”
The funding is to go toward hiring and retaining law enforcement officers, helping with multijurisdictional drug and gang task forces, crime prevention and domestic violence programs, and justice information sharing programs.
“We cannot allow our national economic crisis to affect our communities’ ability to keep our streets safe,” said U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th. Ryan’s district includes portions of Mahoning County, including Youngstown, and most of Trumbull County.
To obtain the money, the federal government is requiring the communities in a county to work together and with county officials to coordinate how the funds would be used.
A plan must be submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice by May 18.
“During this recession, it is critically important that we ensure our cash-strapped police departments have the resources they need,” said U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire of McCandless, Pa., D-4th, who represents all of Lawrence County and a portion of Mercer County.
Nationwide, $2 billion is to be allocated, with $61.6 million going to Ohio and $72.3 million to Pennsylvania.
“These grants will allow local governments to support or improve law enforcement programs like prevention and education programs or corrections and drug treatment programs, just to name a few,” said U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson of St. Clairsville, D-6th, who represents all of Columbiana County and a portion of Mahoning County.
skolnick@vindy.com
Comments
Thought the 'stimulus' was to create jobs, not avoid or minimize layoffs. What happens when the money dries up? This latest, greatest silver bullet is another a case of The Boys crying wolf. "You must pass TARP and take these funds immediately or face the abyss..."
http://www.humanevents.com/article.ph...
Tugboat, the Stimulis Act specifically allows for the funds to be used to retain officers. Look it up before you offer off-based oberservations.
sp correction, "Stimulus" Act
The Stimulus Act was originally called the Economic Stimulus Plan and I approve of its basic concept to save jobs and put people back to work. My objection to the "Act" that was passed, is it included too many "government jobs" or "shovel ready" jobs, which are often known as pork jobs that create little to stimulate the economy. They are short term solutions. Many economists feel the government must stimulate the private sector to restore permanent jobs for all of us, as most of us do not operate heavy machinery or shovels to construct roads and bridges. To stimulate the economy, we need our employers to see new orders coming in. New orders only come when people feel comfortable to order. Right now, people are not comfortable with this stimulus act. Roads and bridges do not bring new orders when there is no traffic hauling on those roads. Our interstate highway system is really a warehouse on wheels and I do not see the volume of trucks hauling goods on the roads today, as I did last year or the year before.
We can solve the current commerce slowdown with viable incentives to the private sector if our leaders choose to. Unfortunately for us, our leaders are using this economic crisis to "pay-off" on government work and old pork jobs...and they have the nerve to tell us this is about jobs and stimulating the economy. They are putting big dollars into plans that include short term employment or saving government jobs. There is no "stimulus" in this plan for private businesses, other than increasing business taxes, which will surely stimulate further lay-offs.
This act will fall short and we will see other plans and acts come around until we are finally bankrupt as a nation. God Help US All!
Dear da_truth,
Yes, in addition to providing full funding for the hiring of new, full-time sworn officers, the CHRP grants can be used to retain officers who are scheduled to be laid off on a future date as a result of local budget cuts. If anyone has off-based oberservations it is you. Again I ask, "What happens when the money dries up?" The faux stimuli just delays the inevitable. At least VINDYAK gets it.
THE police dept. doesnt need the money. if theye were worth a DAMN THEN THE JUDGE WOULDNT B DISMISSING OLD WARRENTS FROM PEOPLE WHO COMMITED CRIMES AGAINST A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER OF YOURS. Y.P.D YOU GUYS SHOULD BE DOING A BETTER JOB BEFORE YOU GET ANY MONEY.
Who are you kidding? This money is gonna go into the general fund to pay all the new positions in City Hall that were created by this Mayor. Street Dept. Workers / Police / Firemen will be laid off, but these new positions (which the city did fine without under the last two administrations) will be at work.
hey maby that why theres going to be so many criminal running the streets. cops who wont do their jobs and serve warrent and offices in city hall that dont belong.