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Rep. Ashford Announces Over $2M for Local Public & Private
Projects
State funds awarded to University of Toledo & local
minority-owned business
State Rep. Michael Ashford (D-Toledo) announced this week
that the state has released over $2 million to The
University of Toledo and Let’s Play School Family Child
Care, LLC, a minority-owned local business.
The University of Toledo’s Campus Energy Cost Reduction
project received an award of $1.9 million. The project,
which involves numerous buildings across all three campuses,
will replace outdated energy systems with up-to-date,
efficient lighting and temperature control measures. Current
building energy systems were installed between 1970 and 1990
and are outdated by current standards.
“Frigid temperatures like we’ve had this winter are a
reminder of how important it is to invest in
energy-efficient projects,” said Ashford. “Not only will
these improvements drastically reduce UT’s energy
consumption, but they will lower the university’s overall
utility costs, making the most of taxpayers’ and students’
money.”
Additionally, a $70,000 Minority Business Direct Loan was
awarded to Let’s Play School Family Child Care, LLC in
Toledo. Let’s Play School intends to purchase a former
church building and transition from a home daycare to a
full-service child care center. As a result of the project,
Let's Play School will create four new full-time jobs with
average hourly wages of $9. The Minority Business Loan
Program provides fixed, low-interest rate loans to certified
minority-owned businesses that purchase or improve fixed
assets and create or retain jobs.
“Studies show that minority business leaders are less likely
to receive small business loans from banks, so public
support of certified minority-owned businesses, like Let’s
Play School, ensure that economic development opportunities
are available to entrepreneurs from all backgrounds,” said
Ashford. |
Rep. Ashford: Job Numbers Continue to Reflect Tale of Two
Ohios
Middle-class Ohioans still waiting on Kasich’s ‘Ohio
miracle’
Last week’s state job
numbers
showed that 31,000 more Ohioans are out of work than at this
time last year. House Democratic Whip Michael Ashford
(D-Toledo) released the following statement in response to
the update on Ohio’s stalled economic recovery:
“While Gov. Kasich claims that ‘Ohio is going in the right
direction,’ the jobs numbers continue to illustrate the
negative consequences of his misguided economic policies.
Hundreds of thousands of unemployed Ohioans are not
experiencing the ‘Ohio miracle’ that Gov. Kasich touts as he
continues to cut taxes for the wealthy. It seems that Gov.
Kasich and the GOP leadership are living in a different Ohio
than the middle-class Ohioans that continue to wait for the
economic recovery to come to our state.” |
