Greene County slices funding to Dayton Development Coalition

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By Christopher Magan, Staff Writer 11:11 PM Thursday, January 21, 2010

XENIA — Greene County Commissioners in 2010 will provide only one-eighth of the funding they did 2008 to the Dayton Development Coalition, one of the largest cuts the group has seen.

Greene County’s contribution this year will be $25,000, compared with roughly $200,000 in 2008.

The coalition is a collaborative of business and elected leaders who lobby to bring jobs and project money to the area. It’s funded by business and municipal members.

The commission voted 2-1 on the $44.7 million budget with Commissioner Rick Perales opposing it because the spending plan does not include a guaranteed $50,000 for the coalition. Perales said he agreed with 99 percent of the budget, which includes no raises for employees, keeps two county pools closed and provides minimal funds for vehicle and other equipment replacements.

Adam Murka, coalition spokesman, confirmed that other municipal members have reduced their funding because of economic pressures, but none to the extent Greene County has while continuing to benefit. He did not provide specific numbers for the cuts.

“We are disappointed with that decision, particularly after Greene County received so much benefit from the work we have done in support of economic development,” Murka said.

Perales further defended his no vote by noting that in 2009 the county received $23 million of a requested $43 million in congressional earmarks with the help of the coalition. “That’s a big return on investment,” he said. “I believe we have to step up and invest in the future.”

Commissioner Marilyn Reid said she couldn’t agree to more funding for the coalition when county employees had been furloughed, had hours cut and had no pay raises in two years. “It’s just a very, very difficult situation,” she said.

Commissioner Alan Anderson said the budgeting process is a difficult one, especially in lean times. “I think we did well last year,” he said. “We did difficult things we didn’t want to have to do. The county came through it,” he said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2342 or cmagan@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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