A bill is in the works to add four more Ohio counties to the 29 counties already considered part of the Appalachian region, while Congress has approved $66 million funding for the Appalachian Regional Commission, an amount nearly level with that of the last year.
At the Bush administration's request, the House previously approved legislation cutting the agency's budget by about half to $33 million for next year. But the funding was restored in the Senate last week.
I am extremely pleased that the Senate was able to hold it to level funding
said Joy Padgett, director of the governor's office of Appalachia. We're going to continue to operate the program like we have in the last several years.
Padgett said she is apprehensive of the idea to add four new counties to the Appalachian region.
If more counties are added it will dilute some of the funding available she said. I would prefer that they add more funding if they're going to add more counties
but we can make it work.
U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, R-Ohio, introduced the bill to add Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning counties to the Appalachian region so they would be eligible for more federal funding. Fayette County Commissioners asked U.S. Rep. David Hobson to add Fayette County of southwest Ohio.
They felt that Fayette County had a similar makeup to the other counties of Appalachia
and felt they could use the economic aid
said Chris Galm, spokesman for Hobson.
Fayette County Commissioners Board Chairman Jack DeWeese said if awarded commission funding, the county would use the money for infrastructure purposes.
We have such ancient infrastructure and it's failing
he said. I have letters from every village and township in Fayette County in support of receiving this funding.
But U.S. Representative Ted Strickland said while he is pleased with the $66 million the commission received, he still has doubts about adding the four counties to Appalachia.
It's a rather strange collection of counties
he said. None of the four are distressed counties
particularly Fayette County. I don't see how it could appropriately attend that it was a county in need of ARC resources.
