MANSFIELD — U.S. Sen. Rob Portman left Richland Source on Tuesday with a copy of “Mansfield Rising” — and a promise to do what he could to help push ideas found in the downtown economic revitalization plan.
In his second Senate term, the Republican from Cincinnati visited Idea Works at 40 W. Fourth St. and then sat down with Richland Source editors to discuss a variety of topics, including Mansfield Rising.
The 68-page document was created by 15 local leaders after attending the South by Southwest Conference last March in Austin, Texas. It sprang from a Solutions Journalism project at Richland Source, titled “Rising From Rust.”
As he leafed through the plan, Portman said he wanted to help.
“We would like to dig into this and see where there is a connection with some sort of federal program,” Portman said.
Portman cited the success and he other leaders, including Sen. Sherrod Brown, had in finally helping Youngstown obtain a $10.8 million federal grant in 2018 from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Developments (BUILD) program.
Portman said the city applied three straight years before finally getting the green light, citing the need for a significant local match on such applications.
The grant, formerly dispensed as the Transportation Investing Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program, will support a critical infrastructure project in Youngstown that will provide autonomous transit shuttles, transit waiting environments, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, streetscaping, wayfinding and more to connect anchor institutions such as Youngstown State University, Mercy Health, Youngstown Business Incubator and Eastern Gateway Community College.
“We worked with them on the application. It’s not all about the federal government swooping in … it’s about the local community really being invested in the project,” Portman said.
Portman, first elected to Congress in 1993, said the Youngstown project had just more than 50 percent in local match funds, including in-kind donations, private foundations, corporate, etc.
“We fought for three years and the third time was the charm,” he said. “It’s worth going at least through the analysis to see if it could work for you guys. We have had some good success.”
BORDER SECURITY: Portman defended his decision to vote in opposition last week to President Trump’s national emergency declaration for a southern border wall and other security improvements.
“I support a strong southern border. I think the president had proposed something reasonable. I support him with regard to the additional 234 miles of fencing or other barriers, because it’s being done based on what the experts want,” Portman said.
“What I don’t support is taking the funding from the military construction budget. That’s the only part of the funding that requires an emergency (declaration). The other three-fourths of the funding comes through appropriations we did give — which is the largest ever appropriated for border security and the largest ever for barriers. That’s the $1.375 billion. On top of that, the president can access forfeiture funds, he can access the (Department of Defense counter) drug money to get up to the $5.7 billion.”
Instead, Portman said, the president chose to declare an emergency and seeks to use military construction funds, which could impact bases in Ohio. That battle will likely end up in federal courts.
“That’s the part of it that concerns me because of the potential impact on good projects like the ones we fought for in Ohio (including improvements at the Ohio Air National Guard’s 179th Airlift Wing at Mansfield Lahm Airport), but also because (it would create) a precedent that is troubling to me because a future president could choose to (declare an emergency) for things I wouldn’t support,” Portman said.
Portman, who worked in the administration during both Bush presidencies, said Trump’s emergency declaration and attempt to spend money in ways other than appropriated by Congress, is contrary to the U.S. Constitution.
“If you really want to get the money to the border, which I do, you wouldn’t want that (military construction) money to be used because it’s going to get tied up in court,” Portman said.
RELATIONSHIP WITH TRUMP: The 63-year-old Portman has worked in Washington for 26 years in a variety of capacities, the last nine in the U.S. Senate.
Suffice to say, he hasn’t met many politicians like Trump. That has not stopped Portman from trying to work with the president, saying Trump has signed 38 of his bills into law.
“I work very closely with the administration. I figure that’s my job — to get things done for Ohio. We have done a lot on the opioid front, (drug) trafficking, he has signed those bills and supported us.
“I have been able to work with him to get a lot done. Sometimes your brethren in the media give me a hard time for not criticizing President Trump more. That’s not my job.
“My job is to stand up and be counted when I disagree with him, as I just did last week. It’s not my job to go on cable news shows and throw out the red meat one way or the other. My job, as I see it, is to get things done.
“When I disagree, I say it. But I don’t go out of my way to attack the president personally. That’s not going to be productive for Ohio,” Portman said.
“(Trump) is a man of action. He likes to get things done. I don’t always agree with his style. But the results in terms of regulatory relief and tax reform are working. We are seeing higher economic growth in every respect,” Portman said.
Portman said he was most pleased with the fact wages in Ohio have climbed above the inflation rate.
“That’s huge for Mansfield. That’s huge everywhere,” he said.
NEW AIR GUARD MISSION: Before visiting Idea Works, Portman toured the 179th Airlift Wing and praised the men and women, who just returned from a lengthy deployment that saw them operate at a 94 percent effective rate.
Portman said he was told the wing would be taking on a new medical evacuation mission, which would add to the value of the base and the unit.
“They are doing some of that already. It seems to be an area that not only are they interested in, but the Air Guard nationally is interested in having more groups do. They call it a critical care team,” Portman said.
Portman said he is interested in helping the 179th obtain the latest model of C-130 transport planes available.
“I am going back (to Washington) and writing some more letters and talking to the Guard about what I saw today and the need for us to continue to have a cutting-edge, award-winning air drop, passenger transport, patient transport, cargo transport capability here,” Portman said.
BI-PARTISAN JOBS ACT: Portman and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently introduced the Jumpstart Our Businesses By Supporting Students (JOBS) Act.
The bi-partisan bill would allow Pell Grant eligibility to cover high-quality and rigorous short-term training programs so workers can afford the skills training and credentials that are in high-demand in today’s job market.
Portman said Trump put the plan into his budget for this year. It would help students access training for 7.3 million jobs across the country that are unfilled due to a shortage of qualified workers.
