Latest news with #EmiliaSykes
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Massillon plans to move forward with Reservoir Park streambank effort using state grant
MASSILLON – The city will move forward with the first phase of the Massillon Reservoir "Rezzy" Restoration Project despite losing about $1 million in federal funding once earmarked for the work. U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Akron, had included the money in the 2025 Agriculture Appropriations Bill. But the funding was not part of the spending bill passed recently by the U.S. House. Funds for more than a dozen Northeast Ohio community projects were canceled in the spending bill. "We're disappointed but not surprised," said Ted Herncane, the city's development director. "So it's back to the drawing board to look for alternative funding sources." Despite the setback, the city still plans to restore the streambank along the northern section of the waterway, Herncane said. A $300,000 state grant will pay for the work, which is expected to start in late summer. Overall, the $1.8 million, five-year Reservoir Park project aims to restore a small pond and rehabilitate the streambank, as well as provide a facelift to the historic pumphouse. The city was relying on federal dollars to fund the second phase which involves restoring the pond. "With that (money) now gone, we'll have to come up with a new funding plan," Herncane said. Multiple future amenities at the park could also be in jeopardy, if alternative funding isn't secured. Funding changes: What Akron-Canton projects, programs are at risk in Trump-backed spending bill? Options discussed have included constructing a walking bridge over the northern section of Sippo Creek, connecting to an existing trail; a community center inside the old pumphouse; fishing docks along the pond; a new levee; and lakeside fitness area. City Councilman Ed Lewis IV, R-at large, who chairs council's Finance Committee, was discouraged by the loss of federal dollars. But he is confident a new funding solution will be put forth. "Our City Council will work with the mayor's office and Parks Department to ensure we have a wonderful parks system," he said. Reach Steven Grazier at On X (formerly Twitter): @sgrazierINDE This article originally appeared on The Independent: Massillon notified of federal funding setback for Reservoir Park work
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What Akron-Canton projects, programs are at risk in Trump-backed spending bill?
Local congressional Democrats are speaking out against the spending bill passed Tuesday by the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives, saying the proposed cuts would harm everyone from hungry children and families to older Americans and ailing veterans. The bill not only cuts funding to services for some of Ohio and America's most vulnerable citizens, it also cedes Congress' constitutionally mandated power of the purse, U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Akron, said during a joint Zoom press call Wednesday with U.S. Reps Shontel Brown, D-Warrensville, and Nancy Kaptur, D-Toledo. All three voted against the measure. "This was a bad deal for Ohio's 13th Congressional District, it's a bad deal for the state, and it's a very bad deal for the entire country," Sykes said. The 13th District includes all of Summit County and portions of Portage and Stark counties. Sykes said the GOP-backed bill threatens Social Security, imperils funding for road and bridge projects, guts funding for veterans with chronic illnesses contracted during their service through changes to the PACT Act and takes food away from hungry families and children. 'Possibly one of the most offensive parts about this bill is that it gives the president and the administration and Elon Musk power to redirect its spending — redirect spending that Congress has already appropriated — to pay for radical projects,' Sykes said, 'and ultimately setting up these tax giveaways to billionaires to buy their second boat or another yacht.' The whole country, she said, will pay for those tax giveaways through the loss of funding for previously approved community projects. "… I do not believe people thought that electing this administration (would) get their grandmothers kicked out of their nursing homes; they lose their health care; the communities don't get clean water; and the cost of food, and housing, and health care just continue to rise in order to give giveaways to the ultrawealthy," Sykes said. Sykes said the 13th District stands to lose more than $38 million in previously approved appropriations. In a Tuesday press release, she outlined the 15 projects at risk in Stark and Summit counties. In Stark County, she said, projects in jeopardy are the $2 million Cromer Water Storage Reservoir demolition and replacement project and the $1.5 million Ohio and Erie Canal Heritage Area Restoration Project. Summit County would lose funding for 13 projects, including: Barberton's $1.5 million technology and equipment funding for equipment for its police department in the Barberton Justice Center. The village of Clinton's $1.12 million road rehabilitation project. Cuyahoga Falls' $10 million construction of a regional fire training facility. Downtown Akron's $5 million Main Street revitalization project. The city of Akron's East Copley District $1 million safety and economic development project. Twinsburg's $938,000 Glen Chamberlin Park improvement study. Munroe Falls' $750,000 Guise Park Lodge renovation. Hudson's $850,000 inclusive playground project. The village of Peninsula's $3 million construction of sanitary sewer facilities. Akron's $1.28 million Reservoir Park restoration project. Fairlawn's $6.9 million Rosemont Preserve restoration project. Silver Lake's $705,000 water main improvement project. Boston Heights village's $1.5 million construction of a new safety center for the police and fire departments. If the continuing resolution fails in the Senate, it could lead to a government shutdown when the government runs out of money late Friday. NBC reported Tuesday that at minimum, eight Democratic senators would have to vote in favor of the bill to overcome the Senate's 60-vote threshold, and that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer didn't say if he'd block the bill. "A government shutdown is never where we want to be," Sykes said Wednesday, "but we also don't want to see our communities suffer, which is what this funding bill is doing." Democrats are pushing for a four-week continuing resolution that will give Congress time to negotiate something 'reasonable, and not harmful to our communities' she said. 'People want bipartisan solutions,' she said, which is the goal of the proposed alternative. Kaptur said the Republicans' continuing resolution cuts funding to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's food programs — reductions that will be felt most by seniors. Brown said the cuts to the agency equal $200 billion, impacting food banks, school lunch programs and SNAP benefits. An alternatively proposed continuing resolution, Sykes said, would maintain funding to the USDA for several weeks until 'we decide how to appropriately address the needs of our constituents' while avoiding further cuts to those programs, which benefit the elderly and children. 'It just goes to show just how cruel this budget is and harmful to people in this district who are navigating food deserts, but also folks all over the country who are struggling with the cost of groceries,' said Sykes. 'The primary thing we talked about was eggs being so expensive, and yet they're cutting food programs to people who are already struggling financially.' Sykes said there have also been significant cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, impacting the agency's ability to respond to the bird flu outbreak nationwide and in Ohio, which recently expanded into Portage County, where 40 birds died in a backyard flock (29 were euthanized and 11 died on their own). Ohio leads the country in bird flu cases. The outbreak, she said, will further exacerbate rising food costs while eliminating the people whose job it is to address the outbreak. Kaptur said homelessness is increasing in cities nationwide. 'There's a $700 million cut in rental assistance,' she said. 'We think that'll impact 32,000 people across our country, and there's a $168 million cut for homeless services that will affect 400 communities across our country. So, they take from the poor to give to the super rich.' 'House Republicans last year punted the Sept. 30 deadline to March 14,' said Sykes. 'They've had several months, three months, to negotiate a deal — a bipartisan deal, a bicameral deal — that we could get to the president's desk by the deadline.' Contact reporter Derek Kreider at DKreider@ or article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Northeast Ohio Congressional Democrats speak out against spending bill
