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Rep. Robinson Announces Passage of Final State Capital Budget, Securing $7.5 Million in Transformative Community Investments in District 19

June 26, 2024
Phillip M. Robinson, Jr. News

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

In addition to the $3.51 billion in traditional capital funds and a $1.98 billion appropriation for ongoing projects, HB 2 includes an additional $700 million from the Strategic Community Investments Fund (SCIF), state funds that will be directly invested into transformative community projects designed to generate further development and economic opportunity across the state. These SCIF 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. Robinson secured $7.5 million (over $5 million in SCIF funds and $2.49 million in traditional capital funds) for community projects in House District 19. Compared to the last capital budget, that is a 50% increase in traditional capital budget funds for communities Rep. Robinson represents. Also, it is a $351.8% increase for community project fundings from all of the funds to the district’s communities.

“Today is a historic day for District 19 and our state. Thanks to President Biden's leadership and support for Ohio, our state received much needed funds during the pandemic. These federal funds helped to prevent harmful austerity policies across America. As a result, Ohio has the funds necessary now to make a transformative investment in brick-and-mortar building, repair, and community projects. Despite internal political infighting within the majority caucus, I am excited that we were able to pass another bipartisan investment in Ohio, putting people first,” said Rep. Robinson.

The District 19 community projects funded include: 

  • $2 million for the Valor Acres Brecksville Veterans Affairs Hospital Site Redevelopment
  • $2 million for the Two Foundation Building Purchase and Renovation
  • $1.5 million for the Solon Community Park Expansion
  • $1 million for the Independence Selig Drive Emergency Access
  • $440,000 for the Chagrin Meadows Preserve
  • $300,000 for the Chagrin Valley Volunteer Fire Station
  • $100,000 for the Kol Israel Holocaust Memorial Renovation
  • $88,787 for the VFW Roof Repairs Solon Post 1863
  • $75,000 for the Bacci Park Infrastructure and Security Improvements

Rep. Robinson also helped secure $136.35 million ($83 million in SCIF funds and $53.35 million in traditional capital funds) for Cuyahoga County. For community projects, Cuyahoga County received $100.5 million in funding. Compared to the last capital budget, this is a 320.5% increase in funding for Cuyahoga County community projects.

Some of the many Cuyahoga community projects funded include:

  • $20 million for the Cuyahoga County Northcoast Connector
  • $175,000 for Camp Cheerful Re-Imagined
  • $1.5 million for Music Settlement Gries House Renovation
  • $500,000 for the Cleveland Airport Northeast Ohio Flight Information Exchange (NEOFIX)
  • $800,000 for Connecting the Circle
  • $800,000 for Argonaut’s Advancing Aviation and Maritime Talent Pipeline
  • $2 million for the Irishtown Bend Park
  • $800,000 for Birthing Beautiful Communities Birth Center
  • $250,000 for the Jennings Center for Older Adults Safety Infrastructure Improvements
  • $365,000 for the Cleveland Institute of Art Interactive Media Lab
  • $750,000 for Bellefaire Child and Youth Services Center
  • $507,500 for Cleveland Habitat Building Project
  • $500,000 for JumpStart Northern Ohio Operations
  • $500,000 for Karamu House Capstone Capital Improvements
  • $480,000 for Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage
  • $400,000 for May Dugan Center Renovation

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

  • $600 million for K-12 school classroom facility projects overseen by OFCC.
  • $575 million 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.
  • $415.7 million 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. For Cuyahoga County, some of the colleges and universities included:
    •   $15.78 million for Cleveland State University
    • $14.42 million for Cuyahoga County Community College (Tri-C)

Another major provision in HB 2 is the allocation of $5 million for a statewide trails maintenance fund. Non-motorized trails (like bike, walking, horse, canoeing, and water trails and paths) that are not on state land, do not get automatic funding or maintenance. Outside of some individual trails sometimes getting capital budget funds, local trails normally don’t get state funding. 

This new fund, championed by the Ohio Trails Partnership, will be managed by the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) as a streamlined process to dedicated support for upkeep of existing local trails at a statewide level to where it is needed most.

On top of the $5 million for the trails maintenance fund,

Rep. Robinson and the Trails Caucus successfully advocated for a total of $97.45 million for Ohio trails in the capital budget, an 151.2% increase, over 2.5x times the funding from last budget.

  • $23.3 million for the Statewide Trails Program
  • $12.5 million for the Clean Ohio Trails Fund
  • $9.24 million for 37 individual local trails projects
  • $5 million for the Local Trails Maintenance Fund
  • $47.45 million for ten major, regional trails projects

“As the co-chair of the bipartisan Ohio Legislative Trails Caucus, I was proud to help advocate for this important statewide support of our local trails. The benefits trails provide for Ohioans are endless, ranging from economic growth and tourism, physical fitness and mental health, and opportunities for families to spend time together,” added Rep. Robinson.

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