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Rep. Dell'Aquila Votes to Allocate $42M in State Funds for Economic Growth, Community Development for Cuyahoga County and Across District 15

The bipartisan House Bill 2 now heads to the Ohio Senate which needs to approve the funds so they may be distributed to Ohioans
February 9, 2024
Richard Dell'Aquila News

COLUMBUS -  State Rep. Richard Dell’Aquila (D-Seven Hills) this week announced that the Ohio House of Representatives passed House Bill (HB) 2, appropriating $2B of state funds for economic development and community investments that will help drive economic growth and generate opportunities across Ohio.

HB 2 includes half of the $700M from the One Time Strategic Community Investments Fund (OTSCIF), funding that was set aside in the most recent state operating budget. Rep. Dell’Aquila is excited to announce Cuyahoga County will receive $42.45 million of that funding.  

“It is an honor to represent the residents of Ohio House District 15, which comprises seven Cuyahoga County communities, including three wards of Cleveland. The months of work on HB 2 has been long and arduous among many competing funding requests across our state. These dramatic results now speak for themselves and required compromise and mutual effort among our state Representatives, especially our Democratic delegation, for which I am grateful,” said Rep. Dell’Aquila.

The OTSCIF funds appropriated to Cuyahoga County will be distributed to several local entities, including: 

  • $1 million to the Irishtown Bend Park
  • $1 million to the YMCA of Greater Cleveland’s New Facility Construction
  • $500,000 to the Ohio Aerospace Institute Sensitive Information Research Facility

 Additionally, HB 2 includes $1.65B of capital budget funding for the following state entities:

  • $600M for the Facilities Construction Commission (FCC) to provide the state share of project costs to school districts participating in facilities projects overseen by OFCC.
  • $400M 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.
  • $397.6M 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. 
  • $250M to support the Local Jail Facility Funding Program in the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC), involving the construction and renovation of county jails.

“The state legislature and administration have been prudent in our financial planning, which has allowed the unprecedented funding of much needed infrastructure improvements across Ohio. I now look forward to the Senate action on these priorities and to the commencement of the respective statewide projects partially funded by our vote on HB 2,” said Rep. Dell’Aquila. 

HB 2 now heads to the Ohio Senate for further consideration. Community projects will have additional funding opportunities from the traditional capital budget and the remaining one-time funds.