Rep. Brownlee Votes Against Concurrence on Senate Operating Budget Amid Ongoing Concerns for Ohioans

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Twp) Wednesday voted against concurrence with the Ohio Senate’s version of the state operating budget, House Bill (HB) 96. House Democrats remain deeply concerned about the budget’s failure to fully fund public education, healthcare, childcare, and property tax relief.

“This budget is full of broken promises to Ohioans. It cuts funding for schools and healthcare, and it gives huge tax breaks to the wealthy. I voted not to concur with the Senate’s version of the budget in the hope that we can do better for our citizens,” said Rep. Brownlee.

The Senate’s budget also lowers the top income tax rate from 3.5% to 2.75% over the biennium, resulting in a $1.4B cut to state revenue. Under the proposal, the overwhelming majority of Ohioans who make less than $100,000/year won’t see a change to their tax bill. Meanwhile, someone who takes home at least $1M next year will get an additional $7K.

The Senate budget continues to:

• Undermine the bipartisan, constitutional fair school funding formula;
• Limit school district financial reserves, forcing more local tax levies;
• Increase taxpayer-funded vouchers for private and charter schools without adequate accountability;
• Fail to provide targeted and state-funded property tax relief for Ohio homeowners;
• Slash childcare funding, fails to invest for working families and hindering economic growth;
• Threaten Medicaid expansion for nearly 800K Ohioans;
• Upends Ohio’s best in the nation system for funding public libraries and cuts funding for important environmental programs;
• Include policies harmful to LGBTQ+ Ohioans, minority-owned businesses, and workers’ collective bargaining rights; and
• Allocate $600M in unclaimed funds for a new Browns stadium opposed by local leaders.

By a vote of 84-1 Wednesday the Ohio House of Representatives voted against concurrence of HB 96. The budget will now head to conference committee.