Ingram Condemns Senate Republican Budget

Today, state Senator Catherine D. Ingram (D-Cincinnati) voted against House Bill 96, the Senate Republicans' version of the state operating budget.

“This budget reminds me of a song called Thin Line Between Love and Hate – it gives a little, and takes a lot,” said Ingram. “The majority continues to decide the winners and losers as they best see fit. They have gone to extreme lengths to carve out monies for individuals’ special interests, yet fail to meet the mark when it comes to investing in our school districts, students, and families across the state. We heard from thousands of constituents during this budget process through testimony, emails, and phones call. Unfortunately, this legislative body simply heard them but did not listen.”

As passed by the Senate, House Bill 96 fails to address the needs of hardworking, everyday Ohioans. The Republican supermajorities in the legislature decimated many of the bipartisan provisions proposed by the governor that would have invested in our children and working families, and have decided to instead:

• Cut taxes for the wealthiest Ohioans by flattening the income tax to 2.75%;
• Underfund our public schools by using outdated inputs and tying performance to school funding, while continuing to invest historic amounts of public funds in vouchers for non-public, primarily religious schools;
• Give away $600 million of Ohioans’ unclaimed funds to the billionaire owners of the Cleveland Browns;
• Threaten health care coverage for 770,000 Ohioans and underfund crucial public health programs;
• Attack already marginalized groups by requiring libraries to censor materials related to “gender identity or sexual orientation” and codifying that the state only recognizes two biological sexes;
• Abandon the state’s partnership with local and county governments;
• Provide no meaningful property tax relief;
• Reduce funding for H2Ohio and lead abatement programs;
• Cut food bank funding; 
• Abolish the Ohio Elections Commission and transfer its duties to the Secretary of State’s office; and
• Politicize education by requiring party affiliation for State Board of Education and local school board races.

House Bill 96 now heads back to the Ohio House of Representatives for concurrence. If the House does not concur with the Senate’s changes, the bill will go to conference committee.