House Approves Offsetting Budget Reductions for Public Education

The Ohio House recently approved Senate amendments to House Bill 164, which will provide school districts in Cuyahoga County with additional public education funding to offset budget reductions made earlier this year.

State Rep. Tom Patton (R-Strongsville) spoke to the funds coming to the area.

“Because of COVID-19, we have seen districts financially worried about budget reductions across the state,” said Patton. “With these offsets, I am hoping this helps reduce the pressure schools face from the cuts made this year.”

Several schools within Patton’s district, under this bill and funding from the CARES Act, would get notable offsets to the budget reductions made including:

• Berea City was originally reduced by 12.1 percent and now only faces a 2.7 percent reduction;
• North Royalton City was originally reduced by 19.3 percent and now only faces a 6 percent reduction;
• Olmsted Falls City was originally reduced by 5.2 percent and now only faces a 3.6 percent reduction; and
• Strongsville City was originally reduced by 17.4 percent and now only faces a 6 percent reduction.

The amended version of House Bill 164 passed out of both chambers of the Ohio General Assembly and now goes to Governor Mike DeWine for his signature.