Cutrona Highlights Tax Cuts, Local Funding in State Budget Bill

State Rep. Al Cutrona (R-Canfield) and the General Assembly passed House Bill 110, known as the two-year state operating budget for Fiscal Years 2022-2023. The legislation highlights include a new school funding reform plan, tax relief, jobs and economic support, and several other initiatives.

“I’m proud to have represented the Valley in bringing home critical funding for several projects and adding eminent domain language that protects our citizens from their property being taken away,” said Cutrona. “Further historic reforms were also made, including across-the-board tax cuts that will benefit all Ohio families.”

Locally, some of the projects coming to the Mahoning County includes: 

• $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2022 to Mahoning Valley Campus of Care.
•  $425,000 in each fiscal year to Mahoning County High School to support out-of-school programs.
•  $200,000 in fiscal year 2022 to Youngstown State University providing for initial staffing of the Mahoning Valley Workforce Partnership.
•  Contributions to the Mahoning river consortium, which shall use the money to pay the expenses it incurs in restoring and maintaining the Mahoning river watershed.

Cutrona also pushed for a new state law included in the budget that prohibits park districts from using eminent domain to create bike paths. The response came in reaction to concerns from local residents as it protects residents and their property rights from government overreach. 

“This is a common sense proposal, it’s been debated and it’s time to get it done – it’s the right thing to do,” Cutrona added.

The budget plan also includes a three percent across-the-board personal income tax cut. The tax reform plan reduces the number of tax brackets from five to four, and eliminates the income tax for anyone making less than $25,000 per year. Overall, these and other tax changes in the budget reduce taxes $2 billion over the biennium. With the elimination of the top bracket, income-tax rates will no longer increase once a taxpayers incomes reaches $110,650. Any income over that amount will be taxed at 3.99 percent, compared to the current rates of 4.797 percent for income over $220,300 and 4.413 percent on income over $110,650. A breakdown of the old vs new income brackets can be found below.

Additionally, the plan provides COVID-19 relief aid to help businesses impacted by the pandemic. The budget proposal appropriates $155 million in COVID-19 relief aid to help businesses impacted by the pandemic – Cutrona is a supporter of this relief as a joint sponsor of legislation on this issue under House Bill 169.

House Bill 110 also includes a series of provisions in support of law enforcement, firefighters and public safety. Some of the initiatives include security grants, school safety grants, body cameras, law enforcement training investment, firefighter grants, and funding for the Ohio Cyber Reserve.

The budget plan was recently signed into law earlier today.