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Published December 23, 2015
President Obama visited the Buckeye state Tuesday to push the economy and jobs to an area that has been hard hit the last few decades.
Standing in the V&M Star factory in Youngstown, Ohio, President Obama told workers and other invited guests the economy would get better.
V&M Star received $20 million in federal funds that enabled it to fix roads, drainage and move rail lines to better suit their $650 million expansion needs as the company builds a new steel mill. V&M, which is a subsidiary of a French company, says the new project will create 350 new and permanent jobs in the Youngstown area. But with a current unemployment rate of 14.5%, Youngstown has one of the highest in the Buckeye state.
Many in Ohio aren’t crediting the White House with putting V&M jobs in Youngstown. Republican Mark Munroe, who is a Mahoning City Representative, says V&M made a smart business decision with a little help from the federal government. “They’ve got a qualified, educated, experienced workforce. They’re close to their market. That’s why they’re doing this,” Munroe told Fox News’ Mike Tobin.
President Obama acknowledged in his remarks that folks don’t want a presidential pep talk but really want to see results. “And a lot of people -- let’s just be blunt -- aren’t always real impressed when a governor or a president comes swooping in and talking about the economy," Mr. Obama told those gathered at the V&M plant, “because the only headline they want to see is the headline that says, 'You’re Hired.'”
President Obama has traveled to the presidential election battleground state seven times since taking office last January. He reminded Ohioans of why he ran for office in the first place. “And I ran for president, Youngstown, because I believe that we’re at a defining moment in our history. And if we’re going to keep the American Dream alive -- not just for us, but for the next generation -- then we couldn’t just sit back and put off solving these big problems. We had to tackle them head on.”
The president last visited Ohio in March when he was pushing his health care plan.
Fox News Correspondent Mike Tobin contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/obama-tells-ohioans-he-understands-their-needs-some-locals-arent-so-sure