(The Center Square) – It’s now up to the Ohio Senate to push forward a state budget Republicans say will give Ohioans property tax relief and expand school choice options.
Democrats and others, however, called the budget reckless and say it underfunds children, health care, food banks, affordable housing and public schools, all the while giving $600 million in taxpayer funds to the Cleveland Browns for their new stadium project out of the city.
The budget also includes $600 million in state taxpayer money to help fund the Cleveland Browns’ move to a new stadium outside of Cleveland.
“We’ve heard loud and clear from Ohioans all over the state about what they want from this budget, and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” said House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima. “This budget delivers the largest property tax cut in the history of the state of Ohio, boosts funding for schools, expands access to affordable childcare, and prioritizes workforce readiness. This budget is a win for Ohio.”
The Republican majority House passed its budget – which included an amendment to recognize only two sexes and restrict LGBTQ+ books in public libraries – on a straight party-line vote.
It now goes to the Senate, where hearings are expected to begin soon. The Legislature has until July 1 to pass a budget for Gov. Mike DeWine will sign.
“Rather than provide real and meaningful support to all of Ohio’s citizens, House Republicans have chosen a fiscally irresponsible operating budget that puts politics over people and which will cost Ohioans dearly. People deserve better,” said House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington. “House Democrats will continue to stand with those fighting for public school funding, Medicaid, genuine property tax relief, our cherished public libraries, and for programs that will ensure better outcomes in life from babies to the elderly because we believe in putting people first.”
The property tax help would come from school districts that save more than 30% of their funding in a year. Those schools would be required to return those funds through property tax relief.
Republicans said 486 traditional school districts carried over money more than 30% of their expenses in fiscal year 2024.
Opponents say the provision forces schools to recklessly spend money to stay under the cap or force districts to rely on more local tax levies.
House Republicans plan to increase public school funding by more than $200 million next year over last year and by nearly $300 million in FY27, but those figures are dramatically less than the expected $666 million planned when lawmakers developed the bipartisan Fair School Funding plan in 2021.
It also increases school choice options for special needs students.
Republicans increased funding for the state’s Brownfield Remediation program, included workforce readiness programs and increased the state’s share of higher education funding by 2%.
It also established a Medicaid work requirement and a $100 million Child Care Choice program for eligible families.
The budget also does not include DeWine’s proposed cigarette tax increase he planned to use to fund a $1,000 child tax credit, and a hike in gambling taxes to pay for sports stadiums and ease the burden for parents at pay-for-play schools.
The House budget also reduced DeWine’s proposed spending on affordable housing, drinking water, pediatric cancer research, child care, Medicaid, lead abatement and food assistance.
“House Bill 96 paves the way for the largest property tax relief effort in state history, while increasing funding for every public school district in Ohio and making necessary reforms to government from top to bottom,” said Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville.
