YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Anthony Trevena, executive director of the Western Reserve Port Authority, describes the agency’s evolution from an airport operator dependent on county subsidies to a broader economic development entity.
Formed after Youngstown ceded control of the airport, the port authority initially relied on monthly general fund payments from Mahoning and Trumbull counties. A change to the local bed tax now generates about $2 million annually for airport operations, eliminating the need for county support.
Trevena said the authority has since expanded into real estate and redevelopment projects, using its statutory powers to consolidate properties, return vacant buildings to productive use and position itself as a regional development vehicle.