Rep. Brown says budget fails to invest in working people, families and the communities they live in

Rep. Richard Brown (D-Canal Winchester) today issued the following statement on the House passage of House Bill 110, the state’s two-year budget. House Democrats largely opposed the bill, saying it was a missed opportunity to invest in everyday Ohioans still struggling amid the health and economic crisis.

“This week, I voted no on the Majority’s budget bill. While I applaud the inclusion of provisions designed to fund Ohio’s schools more fairly, ultimately, I was compelled to vote no because this budget was too focused on tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the richest Ohioans and contains far too many giveaways to GOP special interest groups at the expense of everyday working Ohioans,” said Rep. Brown.

Democrats also noted that the Republican-backed $380 million tax giveaway that largely benefits the wealthiest Ohioans could threaten hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding under the American Rescue Plan.

Democrats offered a number of amendments on the House floor Wednesday, including measures that would:

• Put more money back in the pockets of working people by making the earned income tax credit partially refundable and investing in local governments and public libraries;
• Increase access to publicly funded childcare to allow more Ohioans to get back to work;
• Prioritize coronavirus relief, including investments in public health, rental assistance and waiving unemployment benefit overpayments made to Ohioans during the pandemic.
• Restore Republican cuts to H2Ohio funding to invest in clean water infrastructure.
• Raise wages for home health care workers and allow them to collectively bargain for better wages and benefits.   
• Invest in programs to make college more affordable to lower-income Ohioans.
• Invest in maternal health and morbidity data reporting to improve health outcomes.
• Increase funding for AIDS prevention services at Ohio Planned Parenthood and removes funding from crisis pregnancy centers. 

Republicans rejected each amendment.

After passing the House, the bill moves to the Senate for consideration.