State Rep. John Rogers Votes against GOP's Anti- Middle Class Budget

COLUMBUS- The Ohio House of Representatives approved a state budget this evening that rewards the rich, while continuing to hurt our schools and communities, and denies Medicaid expansion to hundreds of thousands of working poor Ohioans.  Following the vote, State Rep. John Rogers (D-Mentor-on-the-Lake) issued the following statement:

“The budget bill passed by the House today is based on an ideology that does a disservice to Ohioans.

 “It tears at the very fabric of our public system of education, so vital to our Democracy.

 “It regressively rewards the wealthy with nominal benefit to the average middle income family - the norm.

 “It forgoes the opportunity to provide access to affordable health care for those income earners on the lower wage scale.

 “And it continues the diversion of the local government funds away from our constituents - who as a result are being asked, time and again, to decide if they can provide an even greater share of their disposable income to support the vital services provided by their hometowns.

 “After much debate and the tabling of amendment after amendment, we must ask ourselves, have today's actions really strengthened Ohio's vitality? At whose expense?”