Craig Condemns State Budget

Today, state Senator Hearcel F. Craig (D-Columbus) issued the following statement after the Ohio Senate voted to accept conference committee changes to House Bill 33, the state operating budget.

“This budget does not sufficiently meet the needs of our state,” said Craig. “While some meaningful investments were made, I continue to have concerns that this is not a budget that works for the 11.7 million Ohioans we were elected to serve. This budget fails to adequately fund the critical needs of our public schools and will have a deleterious impact on funding and programs for nutrition, childcare, and health care that are relied on by so many Ohioans.” 

House Bill 33 creates universal school vouchers, slashes nearly $1 billion from Medicaid, and cuts taxes to the benefit of Ohio’s wealthiest residents. Additionally, it contains a number of controversial policy provisions, including Senate Bill 1 to transfer almost all the powers of the state Board of Education, which is comprised primarily of elected members, to a new executive agency, as well as Senate Bill 117 to create new centers for “intellectual diversity” at five state universities.

House Bill 33 now heads to Governor DeWine for his signature. He may still line-item veto provisions of the budget.