Cutrona And General Assembly Pass Capital Bill, Heads To Governor

State Rep. Al Cutrona (R-Canfield) voted to support Senate Bill 310, which passed out of both chambers of the General Assembly. Known as the "capital budget," the legislation includes the two-year state construction budget that contains funding for a variety of initiatives across the state and aid for local projects throughout Mahoning County.

"My top priorities that I have mentioned time after time, even prior to the election, was that I was going to work to improve the Valley's healthcare infrastructure, our schools and higher education, workforce such as vocational schools/STEM, flooding and this deadly opioid crisis," said Cutrona.

"Through this critical capital bill, I am proud to say I am the only State Representative within Mahoning County to vote in favor of this legislation that delivers on those promises for the Valley," Cutrona added.

In total, Mahoning County is to receive $2.7 million within the legislation. Local projects funded in the bill include:

• Akron Children's Beeghly Hospital, $500,000;
• Mahoning County Center and Technical Center and Valley STEM, $400,000;
• Forest Lawn Flood Plain Restoration and Wildlife Trail, $500,000;
• Poland Municipal Forest Restoration, $100,000;
• OH WOW! The Roger and Gloria Jones Children's Center for Science and Technology, $350,000;
• Stambaugh Auditorium, $350,000;
• Butler Institute of American Art, $275,000;
• McKelvey Lake Park, $175,000; and
• Jewish Community Center JCC Youth Arts Project, $50,000.

Statewide, the bill includes more than $2 billion in new capital appropriations for a wide variety of infrastructure across Ohio. This is in addition to more than $500 million previously approved by lawmakers for schools and local infrastructure projects.

Statewide highlights include:

• $452 million for the Department of Higher Education, which includes funding for traditional and regional campuses and community colleges;
• $300 million for K-12 school building construction and improvements;
• $10 million for safety grants for K-12 schools and Ohio's colleges and universities;
• $280 million for the Ohio Public Works Commission, which supports a variety of infrastructure initiatives, including local water, sewer and road projects;
• $62.5 million for the Clean Ohio Program; and
• $50 million for county jail projects. Funding will be allocated through a competitive, needs-based process.

After being approved by the General Assembly, the legislation now heads to the governor's desk to be signed into law.