State Rep. Alicia Reece Votes to Reject State Transportation Budget Report

COLUMBUS—State Representative Alicia Reece (D- Cincinnati) released the following statement after the bicameral conference committee voted Tuesday to accept Senate changes to the state’s transportation budget.

 “Unfortunately, most of the new language that was geared toward keeping Governor Kasich honest was nothing more than hollow attempts to save face.

 “Some of the language looks great on paper, but when you read more you can see that it’s almost all hollow. In one breath they’re saying tolls will be capped, and in the very next they say tolls can be raised to meet bond debt obligations. So, which one is it?

 “There’s a provision to spend 90 percent of bond revenue within 75 miles of the turnpike, but that can take you all the way down to Delaware County if you head south, and if you’re looking to the North, well, then you’re in Michigan…The transportation budget still falls short in ensuring Northern Ohioans receive their fair share of the bond revenues

 “I’m disappointed that there was no discussion of public transit in this budget; no discussion of minority and women-owned businesses in this budget; and no discussion of safe weight limits for our public thoroughfares in this budget. This isn’t a state transportation plan; it’s a ‘waiver plan.’