Merger-endorsement-Valley Independent

==We support Onorato's regionalization effort==
===Editorial: Valley Independent===
* Wednesday, April 9, 2008 
* http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/valleyindependent/editorial/s_561480.html
===Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato delivered an important message at the 43rd annual dinner of the Mon Valley Progress Council.===
He said the economic future of southwestern Pennsylvania depends on our collective ability to build regional coalitions to overcome the various obstacles we face.
Illustrating his point, Onorato pointed to the Greater Pittsburgh Airport corridor, which cuts through Allegheny, Beaver and Washington counties. The governmental leaders of those counties formed a partnership to work at bringing development to the region. As a result, he said, air flights originating from the Pittsburgh airport are on the rise and some 800 acres near the airport are currently being developed.
Onorato also gave examples of the growth in Allegheny County, where some $4 billion in new construction is under way, including the new multi-purpose arena, the casino and the LRT system extension.
Growth is occurring with small businesses, too, he said, noting that the county last year launched Allegheny Together, which encourages investment in established urban commercial districts. That program is aiding small businesses in smaller towns such as Elizabeth with no- or low-interest loans, grants and tax forgiveness, he said.
These efforts appear to be working, according to Onorato, who said 70,000 more people are working in the Pittsburgh region today than 25 years ago. That figure includes 7,600 more than just one year ago. The growth of manufacturing and construction jobs in the region is outpacing the national average.
The Mid-Mon Valley will be able to tap into that kind of progress as soon as the Mon/ Fayette Expressway is completed, he said.
But, he predicted, that won't happen without regional cooperation like the Expressway Partnership Initiative he helped form earlier this year to continue advocacy actions for the expressway project.
Hopefully, that initiative eventually will succeed in getting the expressway completed from Interstate 68 near Morgantown, W.Va., all the way to Pittsburgh.
And, hopefully, government and community leaders from this area listened to Onorato's message about the importance of regionalization.
That's because it's becoming more apparent with each passing year that the various communities that dot our Valley no longer can exist individually without some type of regionalized approach to their day-to-day activities.
It's time for our public and private sectors to realize that the status quo isn't working.
It's time to adopt regional approaches to virtually every problem we face.
We thank Onorato for his promise to see the expressway project through to fruition and for leading the way toward cooperative approaches for common problems.
==Links==
* Merger
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