Rep. Somani: Republican Budget Prioritizes Wealthy Tax Cuts, Stadium Subsidies Over Ohio Families

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Anita Somani (D-Dublin) today criticized the Republican state operating budget, signed by Governor Mike DeWine, that prioritizes tax breaks for the wealthy and corporate giveaways over funding for schools, affordable communities, and essential healthcare services. Despite a few helpful line-item vetoes, the budget still overwhelmingly reflects out-of-touch priorities that leave everyday Ohioans behind.

“While I appreciate the governor vetoing some of the most egregious provisions in this budget, what we really needed was a complete overhaul. Under this budget, thousands of Ohioans may lose their healthcare through Medicaid expansion. Schools across Ohio will still see their funding decrease. Working families won’t see a change in their tax bill, but the Browns will be getting a $600 million handout. Republicans in the legislature have shown where their priorities lie, and it isn’t with everyday Ohioans, it’s with the billionaires,” said Rep. Somani.  

House Democrats emphasize that this budget does not meet the moment for Ohio’s families, students, or seniors. Instead, it is loaded with tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Ohioans while cutting or underfunding the programs that people rely on every day.

House Democrats fought hard throughout the process to strip out some of the most harmful provisions, and they are grateful to the citizens and advocacy groups who raised their voices. Thanks to their efforts, Governor DeWine exercised his veto power more than he ever has in his time in office, and more than a dozen especially dangerous provisions were successfully removed through line-item vetoes, including:

• Funding penalties for colleges that failed to comply with anti-DEI Senate Bill 1.
• Cuts to H2Ohio environmental funding.
• Restrictions targeting public libraries and LGBTQ+ materials.
• Medicaid cuts for children aged 0-3.

Still, these small wins cannot mask the larger truth: this budget is fundamentally skewed toward the wealthy and special interests, and Ohio families will pay the price.