Tony Paglia
Vice President, Government Affairs

  
Regional Chamber
 Public Policy Agenda 2008

 The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber presents this agenda for 2008 as a roadmap for renewed economic vitality, business and job growth and government reform for the Mahoning Valley and the state of Ohio. Our agenda emphasizes measures to make Ohio a business friendly state through lower taxes, fewer regulations and an emphasis on educational funding reform, high educational attainment and streamlining of state and local government operations and our school district administrative structures.

1.  Workforce Development

•        The state should take a more pro-active role in promoting workforcedevelopment programs that train and educate Ohio residents for the jobs of the 21^st Century while providing more funding and assistance to companies to re-train their workers. That would include funding for WorkKeys skills testing for both adults and high school students. The Chamber also advocates that the state should focus limited workforce training dollars on performance-based funding where the money follows the individual and targets resources on the enrollment, placement and retention of jobseekers with Ohio employers.

•        Central administrative units should be created to operate school districts in each county to reduce the amount of funds being used for school administration and earmark savings for free-tuition to all local high school graduates and tax reduction while also earmarking more funds for K-12 instruction. The initiative would increase the number of people going to college, create a more educated workforce and decrease the tax burden for businesses and property owners, which would attract people and businesses to move to the Mahoning Valley and all of Ohio.

•        The Mahoning Valley is the only area of Ohio that does not have a community college. We believe that for the area to improve economically, the Valley must give all of its residents a variety of  choices for post-secondary education including a community college. We urge state leaders to approve a community college  for the Mahoning Valley in 2008.

•        We strongly believe that the K-12 educational funding controversy in Ohio must be resolved by utilizing state income tax and sales tax revenue and not heavily relying on local property taxes and the resultant local tax levies  for K-12 educational purposes so that local districts can have a stable, fair and equitable revenue stream to meet the needs of our students. In that vein, we believe that the state should not earmark education funds to be used to meet the social needs of students in the schools. Those funds should come from elsewhere in the budget. Education money should be used for improving the educational achievements of Ohio’s public school students.

•        Prevent the “brain drain” of our young people leaving Ohio after graduating from college by providing tax credits toward their college loans to any person who graduates from an Ohio college or university and stays and works in Ohio after graduation. Tax incentives should also be provided to employers who hire Ohio college graduates.

•    Support efforts to lower the cost of workers’ compensation through administrative efficiencies, enhanced cost containment and medical management strategies and a more competitive base rating system.

•    Oppose burdensome safety proposals that conflict with existing law or increase compliance costs in excess of benefits realized.

•    Advocate for enhancements to current safety and discount programs as well as additional incentives to help employers provide safer workplaces.

•    Back responsible investment policies that maximize returns on the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation reserves and provide for employer dividends and/or premium reductions.

4.  Fair and balanced civil justice system in Ohio

•   Support public policies that discourage frivolous lawsuits and help ensure a fair and balanced civil justice system.

•   Monitor and appropriately respond to legal actions brought by the Ohio Attorney General when they have the potential to negatively affect Ohio’s business climate.

•   Advocate for appropriate legislative and regulatory responses to the use of novel legal theories, like public nuisance or consumer protection actions, that attempt to circumvent recent civil justice reforms.

5.  Government reform and efficiencies

•   Layers and layers of local government in the Mahoning Valley and in Ohio continue to be impediments to economic growth because of the inherent higher taxes that are created and from the institutional government red tape. We believe the state should lead the way in creating incentives that give priority for state funding to those local governments that share services, consolidate or collaborate to hold down costs and create efficiencies.

•  The state should make it easier for citizens to seek county home rule charters through ballot issues by reducing the number of signatures required to place a home rule charter initiative on the ballot from 10 percent of those who voted in the last gubernatorial election to 5 percent.

•   The state’s Collective Bargaining law that restricts strikes by government safety forces has resulted in a mandatory arbitration process that gives little or no consideration to a government’s ability to pay. We believe that the arbitration process must be revised to require arbitrators to limit their awards in accordance with government’s ability to pay without cutting taxpayer services or raising taxes; another benchmark would be to make wages and benefits comparable to those in the private sector on a regional basis.

•   Efforts should be made to create an Ohio state office that promotes efficiencies in state and local government to save money for the taxpayer. The state should use a model created by the state of Washington.

•   The Governor of Ohio should form a bipartisan commission to recommend ways to restructure local government and the schools to increase efficiency and reduce the financial burden on Ohio taxpayers.

6.       Transportation and Infrastructure

•    The Chamber supports a national effort to rebuild America’s infrastructure and in doing so making this issue a Number 1 priority. Our roadways, especially our Interstate Highway System, our bridges and airports are critical to all Ohio businesses, including our imports, exports, interstate and intrastate deliveries. It’s essential that Congress approve a reauthorization in 2008 to fully fund the important Highway Trust Fund.

     As an Urban Chamber of Commerce, we must seek new or alternative ways to protect and rebuild our infrastructure while improving safety, reducing congestion and stimulating economic development and private investment in and around our cities. In addition, we must turn our attention to the nation’s energy and technology infrastructure to ensure there is adequate capacity for the challenging years ahead.

•      It’s recommended that the state take a leadership role in encouraging sustainability for our state, specifically by utilizing existing infrastructure and property in the urban areas of the state. State funding should be directed to support updated streets, utilities and public service needs. Relocation and historic tax credits are simple ways to rebuild our cities and create financial impact for the state.

•     Extra consideration should be given to providing funding that helps to rebuild downtown business districts.
  

•    The Chamber will continue joint efforts with the Shenango Valley Chamber of Commerce to oppose the proposed tolling of Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania. The tolling proposal should be rejected by the Federal Highway Administration because it does not meet the federal criteria for approving tolling on interstates. Such tolling would also cause serious economic repercussions for portions of Pennsylvania and adjacent Ohio; stifle tourism in the area; create a serious safety issue with truckers who are unable to pay the tolls and will divert their traffic to non-toll, often less safe roads;  and inhibit future job growth in our area.

    7.      Government regulations

•      In general, we continue to oppose burdensome government regulations that are not justified on a cost/benefit basis.

•      We support reasonable updates to statutes and regulations that affect business organizations.

•    In particular, we oppose a statewide proposal that mandates that all employers give workers 12 weeks of pregnancy leave. We believe that these kinds of government mandates further Ohio’s reputation as a place that is not friendly to business attraction and retention.

•    The chamber also opposes a statewide effort to mandate seven days of paid leave a year for Ohio employers with 25 or more employees.

    8.      Taxes

•       The state of Ohio is the fifth highest taxed state in the U.S. It is essential for job growth that there be a reduction in taxes across the state. In particular, we support a further reduction in personal income taxes and property taxes on the state and local levels and a lowering if not elimination of the estate tax.

•    Significant revisions are needed in the real property valuation and appeals process. In addition, restrictions should be placed on the amount of tax increase that can result from the real property reassessment process to prevent major increases in taxes on businesses and residences.

    9.      Capital Budget

•       The state of Ohio will only improve its economic development opportunities if it invests additional dollars to promote growth. We believe that the state should reallocate funds to provide for additional money in the Capital Budget, which  is far too low. We have joined with the Ohio Metro Chambers to seek an increase of $50 million in the 2009-2010 budget.

•    Designate capital expenditure dollars available to 501 c 3 not-for-profit organizations not only for bricks and mortar but also for software and hardware technology. Money specifically should be made available for non-profit group needs.
  
  

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  Regional Chamber Graduates First
  Local Government Leadership Class

          Twenty-five area residents received certificates of merit March 19 as the first graduates of the Mahoning Valley Local Government Leadership Academy.
  
         The nine-week course was established this year by the Regional Chamber to improve class members’ leadership and decision-making skills as it relates to the public sector. The classes, sponsored by EMBARQ, continue the Regional Chambers’ commitment to improve government leadership in the Mahoning Valley.

          A special guest at graduation was former Boardman resident Joseph Lucente, an Extension Agent in Community and Economic Development with The Ohio State University Extension/Ohio Sea Grant College Program. Lucente helped to create the leadership academy concept in Ohio and assisted the Regional Chamber in starting classes locally.

          Among the class presenters were Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams; WFMJ  News Director Mona Alexander; Howland Township Administrator Darlene St. George; Barbara Ewing, economic development coordinator for U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan; and Jake Williams, director of Information Technology for Mahoning County. Other presenters from throughout Ohio spoke on ethics, conflict management, building sustainable communities and public service.
  
  

  

          Members of the graduating class are: Carolyn Angelotti, Embarq; Randy Brashen, Canfield Township trustee; Bert Cene, Mahoning-Columbiana Training Asso.; Ernest Cook, Trumbull County Sheriff’s Department; Annette Divito, Poland Township trustee; Heather George, Niles Expanded Metals; Matthew Gurbach, Harrington Hoppe & Mitchell; Rebecca Harris, Mahoning County Career & Technical Center; Sandy Homrighouse, Regional Chamber; Harry Kale, New Middletown mayor; Robert Lidle Jr., Poland Township trustee; Jeffery Magada, Flying High Inc.; Roger Parsons, Culinary Management; Phil Pegg, Vienna Township trustee; Deidre Petrosky, Cortland City Council; Doris Primm, Mahoning County Alcohol & Drug Addiction Board; Kevin Salata, Pricecutworld.com; Paula Sanders, C&V Wholesalers; Tim Sicafuse, Poland mayor; Gail Stark, Warren City Schools; Roland “Butch” Taylor, Local Union 396 U.A.; Eric Thompson, Satolli Carpet; Matthew Vansuch, Harrington Hoppe & Mitchell; Kathleen Vrable-Bryan, Mahoning Soil and Water Conservation District; Mary Williams, Lakeview Board of Education.

        Plans are being made for another class in 2009. Contact Gwen Lewinsky, Government Affairs Coordinator, for more information at (330) 744-2131 ext. 32.

The Government Affairs Council Hosted 
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan in March

    U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-17th, addressed a group of Chamber Members at a Government Affairs Council breakfast event in March. He laid the foundation for a roadmap for the economic future of the Mahoning Valley, focusing on the industries of the future, especially alternative energy and healthcare. 

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