Proposed Federal cuts could eliminate city departments, stop county projects

The proposed 2026 Federal budget is calling for millions of dollars in cuts to local communities. Trumbull County leaders are scrambling to try and stop this idea saying they would lose funding for dozens of programs. 

“It’s going to handicap us, it's going to make everything worse,” Commissioner Tony Bernard said. 

The Trump administration has directed officials to eliminate several programs in the budget in an effort to cut down on federal spending. That includes the Community Development Block Grant and the HOME Investment Partnership Program.

“I would challenge them to come into the city of Warren and find one program that we do that they think is redundant or that they think is foolish or they think is stupid,” Michael Keys, the Director of the Community Development Department for the City of Warren said. 

The city’s development department gets millions of dollars a year for a long list of projects including demoing blighted houses, helping seniors with home repairs and helping first time home buyers with down payments. They’re one of many departments who are unsure of why this is being proposed and what they’ll do if it goes through.

“My department doesn't exist if these federal dollars go away,” Keys said. 

Another program at risk of losing funding is the Ohio EPA Water Pollution Loan Fund. The Trumbull County Sanitary Department has received $60 million from that program this year and is expecting another $50 million from it in the future. 

“Those are the most important funding sources that I have for everything that we do,” Gary Newbrough, the Trumbull County Engineer said. 

Newbrough fears if the money is cut some water and sewer projects will have to be halted before they are complete.

To try and stop the cuts, the commissioners wrote a letter to Senators Bernie Moreno, Jon Husted and Congressman Dave Joyce. Once sent, it would ask for them to advocate for the programs that the community heavily relies on.

“Somebody out there needs to come to their senses and they need to come very quickly to their senses,” Commissioner Bernard said. 

“In an emergency effort to make sure that on a federal level that they understand that we here in Trumbull County and in the Mahoning Valley in general cannot accept the fact that they want to cut these services,” Commissioner Rick Hernandez said.