Leaders oppose sixth attempt to pass Youngstown 'Community Bill of Rights'
It's a proposal that has been rejected by Youngstown voters five times. However, the so-called "Community Bill of Rights" charter amendment will be back on the November ballot. Jaladah Aslam of the AFL-CIO Labor Council says, "We stand united in opposing this very reckless piece of legislation." Together as one voice, the "Mahoning Valley Coalition for Job Growth and Investment" is speaking out against a sixth effort to pass the charter amendment durin...
It's a proposal that has been rejected by Youngstown voters five times.
However, the so-called "Community Bill of Rights" charter amendment will be back on the November ballot.
Jaladah Aslam of the AFL-CIO Labor Council says, "We stand united in opposing this very reckless piece of legislation."
Together as one voice, the "Mahoning Valley Coalition for Job Growth and Investment" is speaking out against a sixth effort to pass the charter amendment during the general election on November 8th.
Youngstown Mayor John McNally believes it will cost jobs and kill economic development in the city.
"It's just going to put a red flag around your entire viewing area quite frankly that we do not want to have the oil and gas industry here at all. And I think that's the wrong signal to be putting out to that community at this point in time," Mayor McNally said.
That's because while we haven't heard much about the oil and gas industry lately, it still has a real presence in the Mahoning Valley according to Tom Humphries, the President and CEO of the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce. It accounts for a least four-thousand jobs, and thousands of spin-off jobs as well.
"We've got 31% of the supply chain for that industry in this area. 31% of all the opportunities in Ohio are sitting right here, and those create jobs for the people in this community and the surrounding communities," Humphries said.
The group believes passage of the "Community Bill of Rights" flat out bans oil and gas development, and could lead to one lawsuit after another for the city and taxpayers over the issue.
"This language makes it clear that some citizen who believes that something or some business is polluting the air or the water can bring a lawsuit. That can be anybody. And that's dangerous for the citizens of Youngstown, that's dangerous for working families, and it's just ridiculous and it's really irresponsible," Aslam said.
But those on the other side of the issue argue it's their right to fight for changes in government for a system they feel is broken.
Susie Beiersdorfer with the Youngstown Community Bill of Rights and Frack Free Mahoning Valley says, "It takes time for these citizens to realize that these familiar foes put profits above people and pollution above our planet, and to realize that this system is not broken, it is fixed against us."
Beiersdorfer and others stood outside the Teamster's Local 377 union hall where a news conference was held opposing the charter amendment.
The group says they have a right to drink clean water and breathe pure air and they also have the right of local self-government.
