U.S. Representative Michael R. Turner today announced the release of a report from the Priority Development Review Committee (PDRC) to enhance the Dayton region’s process for congressional-directed federal funding requests and called the region’s open, community-directed process a “national model for reform.”
U.S. Representative Michael R. Turner today announced the release of a report from the Priority Development Review Committee (PDRC) to enhance the Dayton region’s process for congressional-directed federal funding requests and called the region’s open, community-directed process a “national model for reform.”
The PDRC recommended strengthening the Priority Development and Advocacy Committee (PDAC) process with an increased emphasis on transparency and community participation, increasing accountability of the recipients for congressionally-directed funds, and instituting procedures for advocacy and validation of project requests for the region.
Rep. Turner, along with the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce and the Dayton Development Coalition (DDC), called for a review of the Priority Development and Advocacy Committee (PDAC) process as a means to further enhance the effectiveness of the region’s federal funding requests.
“The Dayton model of prioritizing federal funding requests helps ensure transparency and accountability, and is an example for communities across the country,” Rep. Turner said. “Review of the Dayton region’s model ensures the best possible outcome for the community. This review process allows a broad coalition of public and private leaders to speak with one voice, and is essential as the community moves forward with initiatives to encourage job creation and economic growth.”
Rep. Turner worked with Dayton area leaders to call for an independent panel to improve the system for determining which regional projects are selected as federal funding priorities. The Priority Development Review Committee (PDRC) was empanelled with the intention of undertaking a community review of the Priority Development and Advocacy Committee (PDAC) process, which is managed by the Dayton Development Coalition, to examine congressionally-directed funding priorities for the region. The PDAC process was first implemented in 1994 by the Miami Valley Economic Development Coalition.
Rep. Turner added he is preparing legislation to require projects seeking congressionally-directed funding to undergo public hearings, as the Dayton model does. “The one-year moratorium approved by Congressional Republicans last week is the first step toward meaningful reform of the congressionally-directed funding process,” said Turner, “and Dayton’s process can and should be a model all funded projects can stand up to.”