In a recent letter I co-signed organized by the national, nonpartisan business group E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs) and sent to federal lawmakers – including Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, a Republican whose district lies just west of Warren; Rep. Tim Ryan, a Warren-area Democrat who helped secure initial funding for Brite Energy Innovators a decade ago; and Sens. Rob Portman, a Republican, and Sherrod Brown, a Democrat – we know the value of putting federal dollars toward loans and grants for innovation. And we know federal loans and grants after the 2008 financial crisis helped get nearly 500 companies off the ground and re-energized thousands more.
