(The Center Square) – The Ohio House and Senate passed a state budget compromise Wednesday that Republicans say implements a flat income tax, provides property tax relief and gives the Cleveland Browns $600 million in taxpayer funds for a new stadium in Brook Park.
The budget, which sets spending for $60 billion in state and $200 in federal funds, passed the conference committee around 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Both the Senate and House passed it along Republican-led party-line votes late Wednesday afternoon.
The budget now heads to Gov. Mike DeWine, who can sign it, veto it or use a line-item veto to stop some provisions.
“This is a really strong budget. This budget will positively impact every corner of our state and all Ohioans, regardless of party affiliation. This budget delivers,” Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, said on the floor Wednesday.
The budget moves Ohio to flat state income tax of 2.75%, except for those making less than $26,050 a year, who would not pay taxes. That would cut taxes for those making more than $100,000 per year.
Schools in the state will receive $650 million, more than they received in the previous budget but less than what was promised when lawmakers passed a Fair School Funding Plan four years ago.
Also, moving forward, school districts will only be allowed to keep 40% of their budget in savings for emergencies.
Lawmakers also included a plan to give $600 million in unclaimed taxpayer funds to the Cleveland Browns to help fund a new $2.4 billion stadium in Brook Park.
A law firm that includes former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann and former State Representative Jeffrey A. Crossman promised earlier Wednesday to file suit against the plan.
“We’re still cutting funding for public schools and food banks. This tax cut for the rich will cost over $1 billion a year,” Sen. Bill DeMora, D-Columbus, said. “We’re helping partners at big law firms and teams that can’t win football games. This is a billionaire’s budget. It’s bought by the owners of the Browns and other billionaire donors.”
Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney, D-Westlake, said the budget is for the rich while ignoring the middle class and public schools.
“Budgets are about choices, and at a time when Ohio workers and families across this state are struggling just to get by, this budget could have chosen to build a $100 billion budget that invested in Ohio workers, families, children, and the future of this state,” Sweeney said. “But, instead, this budget chooses to give away a billion-dollar tax cut that only benefits the wealthiest few while doing nothing substantively to help the people who are actually struggling. That same $1 billion could have been used to cut taxes for middle class Ohioans, to expand the Homestead Exemption, or to properly fund schools so that they don’t have to rely on Ohio homeowners to pick-up the state’s tab. This budget chooses not to.”
