Rep. Sweeney Announces Passage of Final State Capital Budget, Securing Transformative Community Investments in Cuyahoga County

June 26, 2024

COLUMBUS - State Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Westlake) today announced the passage of House Bill (HB) 2, the state's biennial state capital budget, in both the Ohio House of Representatives & Senate. The record-setting $6.2B investment makes appropriations for state-owned infrastructure, colleges, universities, and school districts as well as other community projects.

In addition to the $3.51B in traditional capital funds and a $1.98B appropriation for ongoing projects, HB 2 includes an additional $700M in state funds that will be directly invested into transformative community projects designed to generate further development & economic opportunity across the state. These state funds were able to be set aside due to the influx of federal relief dollars that helped to supplement the state’s balance sheet during the most recent state operating budget.

“This year’s capital budget represents one of the largest investments of state capital funds for Cuyahoga County in recent memory. Many of the projects being funded today would not be possible without this historic allotment of state dollars,” said Rep. Sweeney. “As the ranking member of the House Finance Committee, I am pleased to deliver on our commitment to Cuyahoga County and the entire state of Ohio through the One-Time Strategic Investment Fund and double-down on this investment with an additional infusion of dollars through the traditional state capital budget.”

Rep. Sweeney secured $100,400,000 for Cuyahoga County including funding for a number of community projects within her House District, including:

Bay Village Cahoon Park–$2,000,000
BAYarts Cultural Arts Center Expansion–$288,000
Berea City Hall and Police Station Upgrades–$250,000
Olmsted Township Nature Trail and Bark Park–$250,000
Olmsted Falls Visibility Project–$200,000
North Olmsted Old Town Hall–$100,000
North Olmsted Springvale Pickleball Courts–$100,000
Westlake Clague Park Cabin Renovation–$50,000

The remaining funds will support a number of projects of county-wide significance, including:

Cuyahoga County Northcoast Connector–$20,000,000
Bedrock Riverfront Development–$8,000,000
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum Expansion and Renovation Project–$7,000,000
Cleveland Port Bulk Terminal Modernization–$5,000,000
Flats River Development–$3,500,000
West Side Market in Cleveland–$2,400,000
Cleveland Zoo Primate Forest–$2,000,000
Irishtown Bend Park–$2,000,000
Valor Acres Brecksville Veterans Affairs Hospital Site Redevelopment–$2,000,000
Two Foundation Building Purchase and Renovation–$2,000,000
Blue Abyss–$1,800,000
Cleveland Christian Home Child Wellness Campus–$1,500,000
Park Synagogue–$1,500,000
Solon Community Park Expansion–$1,500,000
The Music Settlement Gries House Redevelopment–$1,500,000
Brook Park Community Center Restoration–$1,000,000
Cleveland Museum of Art–$1,000,000
Cleveland Museum of Natural History–$1,000,000
Cleveland Women’s Soccer Stadium–$1,000,000
Electric Building Renovation–$1,000,000
Independence Selig Drive Emergency Access–$1,000,000
Playhouse Square–$1,000,000
Severance Music Center–$1,000,000
Shaker Heights Doan Brook Park–$1,000,000
YMCA of Greater Cleveland New Facility Construction–$1,000,000
Argonaut Project - Advancing Aviation and Maritime Pipeline–$800,000
Birthing Beautiful Communities Birth Center–$800,000
Connecting the Circle–$800,000
Glenville YMCA–$800,000
Saint Edwards High School Sustainable Urban Agriculture–$800,000
Bellefaire Child and Youth Services Center–$750,000
Cleveland Public Square Improvements–$750,000
Winterhurst Ice Arena Capital Renovations Initiative–$750,000
University Heights Municipal Sewer Project–$700,000
University Hospitals Breast Center Parma–$700,000
Cleveland Habitat Building Project–$507,500
Brooklyn Veteran's Memorial Park–$500,000
Cleveland Airport NEOFIX–$500,000
Cleveland Institute of Music Kulas Hall–$500,000
Cleveland Public Theatre Improvements–$500,000
Cleveland Zoo–$500,000
Euclid Public Library Green Branch Improvements–$500,000
Great Lakes Science Center - Water Technology Exhibition–$500,000
Western Reserve Center for Community Engagement and Hospice Care–$500,000
JumpStart Northern Ohio Operations–$500,000
Karamu House Capstone Capital Improvements–$500,000
Museum of Contemporary Art Improvements–$500,000
Ohio Aerospace Institute Sensitive Information Research Facility–$500,000
Rocky River Fire Station Improvements–$500,000
Saint Casimir Parish Improvements–$500,000
Seven Hills Fire Department–$500,000
Strongsville Town Center Enhancement & Walkability Initiative–$500,000
Vocational Guidance Services Renovation Cleveland Facility–$500,000
YWCA of Greater Cleveland–$500,000
Boys and Girls Club of Broadway in Cuyahoga County–$485,005
Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage–$480,000
Richmond Heights Salt Bin–$450,000
Chagrin Meadows Preserve–$440,000
Applewood Centers Inc–$425,000
Magnolia Clubhouse–$400,000
May Dugan Center Renovation–$400,000
Middleburg Heights Central Park Phase 1–$400,000
Shore Cultural Centre Renovation–$400,000
Cleveland Institute of Art Interactive Media Lab–$365,000
Greenstone Lifeline Connection Improvements–$327,867
Chagrin Valley Volunteer Fire Station–$300,000
Journey Center for Safety and Healing–$300,000
Lakeview Cemetery–$300,000
Beck Center for the Arts–$250,000
Canal Basin Park- Riverfront Connections–$250,000
Greek Cultural Gardens Education Enhancement Program–$250,000
Jenning's Center for Older Adults–$250,000
Hough Community Green Space–$200,000
Journey Center for Safety and Healing/Domestic Violence Shelter–$200,000
Lyndhurst Community Center Audio Visual Project–$200,000
MetroHealth Emergency Department Refresh–$200,000
Northeast Ohio Music Arts Development Hub/Waterloo Arts–$200,000
Camp Cheerful Reimagined–$175,000
Haven Home Renovations–$100,000
Kol Israel Holocaust Memorial Renovation–$100,000
VFW Roof Repairs Solon Post 1863–$88,787
Bacci Park Infrastructure and Security Improvements–$75,000
Highland Hts. Community Park Pavilions–$75,000
Seven Hills Park Upgrades–$72,000
American Cancer Society's Cleveland Hope Lodge renovation–$50,000
Barge 225 - Cleveland Metroparks Floating Education Center–$50,000
VFW Roof Repairs Parma Post 1974–$28,633
VFW Roof Repairs Cleveland Post 2533–$17,208

HB 2 also includes operational funding for several community-based non-profit organizations that saw their TANF funding cut in last year’s operating budget. Without the restoration of these cuts many of these programs, ranging from after school enrichment programs to childcare & housing supports, would not have been able to continue their work across the state.

Governor’s Office of Faith-Based Initiatives–$10,151,250
College Now–$4,500,000
Open Doors Academy–$2,800,000
Ohio Commission on Fatherhood–$2,500,000
Best Buddies–$500,000
The Foundry Row, Sail, Dream Program–$375,000
Shoes and Clothes for Kids–$300,000

Additionally, HB 2 includes approximately $1.6B of capital budget funding for the following state entities:

$600M to provide funding for K-12 school classroom facility projects overseen by OFCC.
$575M for the Public Works Commission to issue grants and loans to local governments for road and bridge projects, fresh water treatment and distribution systems, wastewater collection and treatment facilities, storm sewer systems, and solid waste disposal facilities.
$415.7M for state-supported higher education institutions to conduct construction of new facilities, major renovations of existing facilities, or basic renovations at public universities and their regional campuses and community colleges.

HB 2 now heads to the governor's desk for his signature.