Rep. Juanita O. Brent criticizes cuts to transportation budget, which limits Ohioans' access to jobs, health care, and opportunity

Today, Rep. Juanita O. Brent (D-Cleveland) released the following statement following the House’s passage of the transportation budget. Rep. Brent voted no on the transportation budget, which passed the Ohio House with a vote of 87-8 on March 4, 2021.

“This is not how you attract people to the State of Ohio,” said Rep. Brent. “There is a direct correlation with public transit and business expansion, so decreasing the funding for public transportation from the previous biennial budget will only inhibit business development in our state.”

“Cutting public transit dollars sends a message that Ohio does not care about the 90 percent of public assistance recipients who do not own a car. Cutting funds to public transportation will limit Ohioans’ access to employment and medical care. In the middle of a pandemic, we should be doing everything we can to increase Ohioans’ access to employment opportunities and their health care providers, not limit it. Make it make sense!”

Democrats offered a number of amendments on the House floor Thursday, including an amendment to invest an additional $13 million in public transit funds in each of the next two years and other amendments on motor fuel quality testing and tracking gas tax collection data to see where and how funds are spent. However, Republicans rejected each amendment.