Smith Condemns State Budget

Today, state Senator Kent Smith (D-Euclid) issued the following statement after the Ohio Senate voted to accept conference committee changes to House Bill 33, the state operating budget.

“While I am grateful that the new state budget contained several Democratic priorities and many things I was advocating for, this budget remains out of balance for the majority of Ohioans as most of its benefits are for the wealthy and well-connected,” said Smith. “The average Ohioan will experience additional burdens as a result of the new budget, rather than any new assistance.

“The GOP budget contains a massive expansion of school vouchers which will target Ohio's wealthiest families who were already sending their children to private schools.  While I am glad the Lorain City Schools will be able to return to local control, we should return East Cleveland and Youngstown to local leadership too.”

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.

“The inclusion of anti-education legislation of Senate Bill 1 and Senate Bill 117 will make matters worse for K-12 education and higher education in this state. Neither of those bills passed both legislative chambers, so inserting them into the budget is an anti-Democratic stunt designed to ignore expert stakeholders and the voices of everyday Ohioans.

“To be clear, the conference report of the state budget is a significant improvement over the Senate version, but it still hurts everyday Ohioans, stifles higher education, does not feed enough of our hungry neighbors, and weakens our democracy. I saw no other option than to be a no vote on the final version of the state budget.”

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