Letter predicts summer of unrest
Yates letter blasted, called extortionate
By Kevin Aldridge and Justin Fenton
The Cincinnati Enquirer
State Rep. Tyrone Yates is warning Gov. Bob Taft that unless Cincinnati gets more money for summer jobs, the city will see "major disruptions" from the "teeming numbers of young men and women congregating on neighborhood street corners."
Yates, a former Cincinnati city councilman, is asking Taft for $4 million for summer youth employment and adult job training programs.
The money would go toward the program being administered by the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative and Citizens Committee on Youth.
Yates sent a letter to Taft on June 2, saying that he was "sensing a terrible summer situation brewing in the poor and African-American community" in Cincinnati. Yates said he could feel palpable unrest and anger growing about a lack of employment.
"It is my opinion, and unfortunate prediction, that Cincinnati will see major disruptions without an infusion of summer employment dollars," Yates wrote.
Added Yates: "We cannot afford to see Cincinnati endure what we faced in April 2001."
The April 2001 riots - the worst riots Cincinnati had seen in 30 years - prompted city and business leaders to launch a $2.2 million plan to create 3,000 summer jobs for teenagers. The jobs program is expected to employ just 1,100 youth this year.
Yates said he would like to use the $4 million to help the program.
State Rep. Thomas Brinkman, R-Cincinnati, called Yates' letter to the governor an "outrageous extortion letter." Brinkman said he confronted Yates about it.
"I think it's wrong on so many levels, it's unbelievable," Brinkman said. "It's threatening - 'you'll have blood on your hands if you don't act.' It's foolish, because everyone knows the budget. We don't have $4 million lying around to throw at a problem."
Yates, who did not back down from the statements in his letter, said Thursday he hopes he is wrong about any disruptions.
"My writing was out of grave concern for the city," Yates said. "I believe every word I write. Threats and false pressures are irresponsible. I wouldn't do that."
John Allen, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, said funding does not exist at the state level to meet Yates' request. Allen said the governor has already committed $1 million above the regular allocation for Cincinnati and Hamilton County in the past two years through the Workforce Investment Act.
He added that the U.S. Department of Labor has also committed $2 million to assist both adults and youth find jobs in Hamilton County.
Myrtis Powell, executive director of the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, said her agency could put the extra money to good use. The youth jobs and mentoring programs have more than 1,500 kids on a waiting list for employment, she said.
"If we had more money, we know that we have employers who would still take kids," Powell said. "The issue is, we don't have enough money to subsidize and pay the kids."
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