Rep. Joe Miller Announces Passage of Final State Capital Budget, Securing Transformative Community Investments in Lorain County

June 26, 2024

COLUMBUS - State Rep. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) 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.

Rep. Joe Miller helped secure $16,702,276 for Lorain County.

“I am proud to sit on the House Finance Committee, where we have been working on the one-time strategic fund and capital budget. Many great projects in my district and Lorain County will be funded with the passage of HB 2. Although there are some good projects that we were unable to work into the bill, I am proud to announce the following projects will be receiving an appropriation” said Rep. Miller.

The $16,702,276 of funds will be distributed to several local entities, including:

$2,500,000 to the Lorain County Community College Desich Entrepreneurship Center 3rd Floor Microelectronics Training Hub Project
$2,500,000 to the Lorain County Fairs Project
$2,000,000 to the French Creek Sports Complex Project
$1,000,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Elyria South Project
$1,000,000 to the Lorain County PACE Site Modifications Project
$1,000,000 to the Nord Center Capital Improvement Project
$750,000 to the Lorain County Administrative Building Project
$700,000 to the North Ridgeville Cypress Avenue Project
$600,000 to the Sheffield Lake Field House Rec Complex Project
$500,000 to the Black River Landing Amphitheater Project
$500,000 to the Root Road Park Improvements
$500,000 to the Haven Center Emergency Shelter/Neighborhood Alliance Project
$500,000 to the Vocational Guidance Services (VGS) Lorain Project
$375,000 to the Lorain County Health and Dental Facility Project
$350,000 to the Renew Avon Lake Play Space Project
$300,000 to the Elyria Public Library West River Branch Project
$300,000 to the Lorain Hispanic Veterans Memorial Project
$250,000 to the Wilson Bruce Evans House Project
$250,000 to the Lorain County Kennel Project
$200,000 to the El Centro Facility Improvement Project
$150,000 to the Good Knights Bed Building Center Project
$150,000 to the Sheffield Village Colorado Avenue Side Path Project
$115,000 to the Lorain County Safe Harbor Roof and Parking Project
$100,000 to the Beyond the Walls Project
$100,000 to the Carlisle Township Hall Project
$12,276 to the VFW Roof Repairs in Wellington Post 6941 Project

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.