Rep. Dell'Aquila Announces $1.5B in Re-Appropriations to Address Safety, Emergency, and Preservation Projects

COLUMBUS - State Rep. Richard Dell’Aquila (D-Seven Hills) today announced that the Controlling Board has approved the reappropriation of $1.5B for the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to complete ongoing Safety, Emergency, and Preservation activities across Ohio. The purpose of the reallocation is to guarantee and accelerate the completion of critical transportation projects. The funds from this announcement are crucial for reducing the number and severity of crashes on public roads, repairing damage from declared emergencies, and the preservation of roads and bridges that ODOT is responsible for.      

“There is no governmental responsibility more important than the protection of the safety and security of our citizens,” said Rep. Dell’Aquila. “The maintenance and upgrading of our transportation infrastructure is a critical component of meeting that obligation, as well as the enhancement of Ohio’s economic and technological advancements.”

Additionally, the Controlling Board approved $14.7M to continue the Ohio Department of Aging-led work of the Nursing Home and Long-Term Care Strike Force. These additional funds will allow for the continued improvement of the quality of care and quality of life provided at nursing homes throughout Ohio. 

Some other items approved by the Controlling Board include:

•  $39.6M for the Choose Ohio First Scholarship program. This scholarship initiative awards universities or colleges for programs that recruit students and provide work-based learning opportunities in the fields of science, including health professions, technology, engineering, and mathematics to meet the needs of the state's regional economies.
• $1M to fund the High School Tech Internship Program. The purpose of this program is to develop and retain tech talent in Ohio with the aim to have more high school students and recent graduates employed in paid technology roles at Ohio companies. 
• $495K to identify key workforce challenges and define initiatives to reduce turnover and improve recruitment and retention of Ohio's behavioral health workforce system. 
•  $391K for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for their continued research on emerging contaminants in Ohio’s large rivers. This allocation will specifically be used for identifying contaminants in biological material such as fish.