-
Login
-
Digital Edition
-
Print Edition
- Most Commented
- Most Commented
- Most Emailed
- Most Emailed
- Popular
- Popular
« Stirfry
Prediction: Mayor will take auto czar job
By Bertram de Souza (Contact)
Published October 10, 2010
If a firm offer is made — at this time it appears one is forthcoming — by the Obama administration to Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams to serve as U.S. auto czar, the city will lose its chief executive. It’s very difficult for a mayor of a medium-sized community to say no to the president of the United States.
A week ago, this writer revealed that Williams had been approached about the filling the position of director of recovery for auto communities and workers. The job was created by President Barack Obama, who appointed Ed Montgomery in March 2009 to guide the recovery of the auto industry. Montgomery has left to become dean of public policy at Georgetown University.
The mayor met with administration officials on Thursday in Washington.
Auto czar is a high profile position designed to ensure that displaced employees and struggling communities have access to federal stimulus money and assistance for job re-training and other such initiatives. As was noted in last week’s Stir Fry blog, Williams would be in a position to advocate for the Mahoning Valley and to ensure that the General Motors Corp.’s Lordstown assembly plant is on the White House’s radar.
In the past week, this writer got reaction from readers that were positive and negative. But one question that was asked most often was this: What will happen to the initiatives Williams has launched to deal with the crime and neighborhood deterioration problems and to job-creation programs? The quick answer: They will continue because he will be succeeded by council President Charles Sammarone, who has been around city government for many years.
A presidential appointment is a big deal — for Williams and for the Mahoning Valley. If an offer is made, he will accept because the positives outweigh the negatives.
Comments
What will happen to the initiatives Williams has launched to deal with the crime and neighborhood deterioration problems and to job-creation programs?
Maybe the Vindicator can enlighten the public and the families of those murdered near St. Doms what initiatives the Mayor has launched to deal with the violence and how those initiatives are working out for the public.
Neighborhood deterioration has definitely been slowed by the Mayor's initiative. Right? Look down any of the soutside streets like Avondale or E. Philadelphia.
And as far as job creation, besides him and Melfi getting in the way of V-M Star, what jobs has the Mayor created?
Failure is the only job qualification to move up in today's politics. Look for Dave Ludt to be appointed Energy czar and Traficanti to be Agriculture czar.
He should go just to get away from all of the negative people on Vindy.com.
An in depth study by the mayor has shown that tolerance seems to be the answer . As long as the neighborhoods are going about life in their normal fashion then IT'S ALL GOOD . The subculture now seems to be the culture of Youngstown . Just as in the Wild West in days of old those bent on being the vampires of society were being persecuted by hanging we now are prolonging their agony of life . Executions only happen into the distant future and incarceration is causing hatred . Our intolerance of being robbed and killed is overloading our justice system and depleting our financial resources .
THERE IS A PLAN . . ..
http://i33.tinypic.com/2m6vdhz.jpg
Maybe Bertram will go with Jay and be his press secretary?
I'm sure Mayor Jay can't wait to get out of Ytown and all the troubles he couldn't fix or control for that high paying federal job. I only wish that he had done something, anything to stop the violant crimes that continue to plague this city. Maybe the new mayor will do better - but I have my doubts.
Short of painful public summary executions (which are unconstitutional for multiple reasons - and I am not advocating them), what will stop the crime and violence in Youngstown?
Take the job Williams and leave Y-town's problems to the others, who also have no real plan to deal with the criminals.
Censored - Good ideas ... but how will this be paid for? People are up-in-arms about public employees (which includes police) "at the trough" now ...
censoredship :
"I was hoping Williams would take Betras with him :)"
I was hoping Barney Frank would take Betras to DC with him . :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
Maybe Williams can take both Betras and Humphries with him.
Did Bert stop disliking Traficant? Why the sudden and profound silence on The Topic?
Signed, Just Wondering