Feds need to build economic center here

February 20, 2008 07:23 pm

— Ohio is always a big contender in the race for president.
We are a microcosm of the whole country.
So how come some big-gun politicians don’t come visit us in Ashtabula County?
I got my hopes up when I got an e-mail from Hillary’s camp that she was visiting northeastern Ohio.
Well, northeastern Ohio to the Hillary folks is Cleveland, Massillon and Norwalk. OK, Cleveland is northeast Ohio.
But Massillon? Norwalk?
You can’t get any more northeastern Ohioish than Ashtabula County.
Come on Barack, come on Hillary. Who is needier than Ashtabula County? Who better needs words of wisdom on how to create better times?
It’s not like we get presidents or presidential contenders around here too often.
Yeah, George Bush zipped through the county in 2004, but he never strayed from Interstate 90.
Teddy Roosevelt toured the Conneaut docks, but that was a century ago. Abraham Lincoln traveled through the county in April 1865. Of course, he was dead at the time.
So we are due.
Potential future presidents should come here and pledge, if elected, to create a Federal Center for Economic Development here.
Such a center could benefit the whole country.
This federal center would study why Ashtabula County is in worse economic doldrums than the rest of the state. The results could be applied everywhere.
It is getting to be a cliché, but the county does have many advantages.
It is right on a couple of major highways. It has at least three railroads. It has major ports in Ashtabula and Conneaut.
So why are places without these advantages, in the middle of nothing, doing so much better?
Sure, we have the nasty infighting these days in Ashtabula and Conneaut especially.
But a few years ago, we had bad economic conditions and our public leaders weren’t acting as poorly as they do today.
So what gives? Is it the fact we have a less-trained, less-educated work force. If so, how did that happen?
Was there just a series of bad breaks that closed or minimized all of the big industries in Ashtabula Township, the Rockwell plant in Saybrook, the Astatic in Conneaut, the Nickel Plate Railroad? Was it a lack of insight by our elected officials?
Of course, the Youngstown area is suffering, too.
So what would we gain should this economic study center locate in the county? It may not answers these questions, but it may not matter.
First, it would result in an influx of new, moneyed people. Those federal employees all make good money, have great pensions and terrific medical plans.
That alone would mean more people spending more money in the county, helping local businesses. If they needed to go to one of the county’s three hospitals, their insurance would pay. Certainly the hospitals would like some real income, rather than Medicaid patients.
Even if this economic study project failed to provide any insight, construction of a new building filled with people getting a regular, generous paycheck would be a plus.
And when President’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Veteran’s Day and the like roll around, all of these public employees would have the full day to shop at local stores, go to the movies at local theaters and eat at local restaurants.
When the workers retire at age 50, they would already be living in a county with a lot of other retirees. They would fit right in.
Where would this Federal Center on Economic Development be located? It would be nice to place it in Ashtabula, but good luck there. Even when the city is getting virtually free elementary schools from the state, it can’t take the actions necessary to start construction.
Just as with the schools, there would be debates and lawsuits and undercutting. Would this be a campus type federal center with everything in one place, or spread it throughout the city?
Forget it. Let’s leave Ashtabula out of it. What about Conneaut, a city with more land.
It looks like things may have calmed down there. New Ward 1 Councilman Dave Campbell appears to have softened his combative stance. So Conneaut could be a possibility.
What about the Geneva area? Yeah, maybe the feds can take over the lodge. They could call it the Federal Center on Economic Development at Geneva State Park. It’s a long, laborious title. Feds love long, complicated titles.
Of course, that would mean the loss of the lodge and all of the tourism it attracts. So maybe the county, with the strength of the feds behind it, could pressure the state to build another lodge.
That would mean more construction, more jobs, more income.
Now granted, none of this results in any permanent manufacturing positions. But can we expect any manufacturing positions, unless we move the county to China?
It’s a great idea and if it happens, I want the center named for me.
You listening Hillary, Barack? And Barack, I know you have a tendency to use other peoples’ speeches and pass them off as your own.
I want credit on this one. I’ll be listening.
Lebzelter is special sections editor. E-mail him at bobleb@starbeacon.com.

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