Hicks-Hudson Votes to Approve Transportation Budget

Today, state Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) voted to approve House Bill 23, the state’s two-year transportation budget.

“Although I do not fully endorse this transportation budget, my vote today reflects my belief that it will nonetheless improve the lives of my fellow Northwest Ohioans,” said Senator Hicks-Hudson. “While I would have liked to see more of the amendments we offered incorporated into the bill, such as adding language to establish an Electric Vehicle Commission and study potential improvements to the entirety of U.S. Route 23, it is crucial that we invest in our infrastructure and ensure that our communities have access to safe and reliable transportation options. Sometimes compromise is necessary in politics, but my commitment to fighting for the residents of Lucas County remains unwavering.”

H.B. 23 invests over $13 billion over the biennium in Ohio’s infrastructure to fund the state’s roads, bridges, airports, and trains. The budget allocates approximately $100 million over the next two years to public transportation initiatives and includes rail safety measures that have been in the works for the last decade.