Schaffer Votes for Historic Tax Cuts in State Operating Budget

COLUMBUS—State Senator Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster) joined his colleagues this evening in voting for Substitute House Bill 110, which is Ohio's FY 2022-2023 biennium operating budget. "House Bill 110 will change lives and encourage small business and entrepreneurs with historic tax cuts," said Schaffer, who chaired the General Government Budget Committee. “The budget bill includes $1.6 billion in income tax cuts for hard working Ohioans – the largest income tax cut in Ohio history at 3 percent – and $480 million in other tax cuts that will help create jobs and sound economic expansion immediately,” Schaffer said. “And we exempt from the income tax all incomes up to $25,000 to help those families who are struggling.” Other major provisions Schaffer advocated for include:

• $250 million in funding for broadband expansion;
• $350 million for brownfields redevelopment, with $1 million going to each county’s commissioners for quick redevelopment projects; and
• Fair School funding plan that benefits children across Ohio.

Schaffer sponsored several key amendments that will have a major impact in the 20th Senate district and the state of Ohio, including:

• Anti-fraud and anti-waste reforms in the EBT food card systems and unemployment compensation within the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services;
• A new $650,000 annual payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources that will restore property tax losses to school districts and local governments in Morgan, Muskingum, and other counties;
• $1 million for the City of Zanesville for major road slip repairs;
• $500,000 for unaffiliated food banks to help the poor;
• $200,000 for The Refuge, a men’s addiction recovery shelter in Lancaster; and
• Increased funding for all 13 veterans service organizations to help Ohio veterans.

"After hearing hours of testimony and input from state agencies and Ohioans, it became clear what our priorities need to be with the state operating budget. I am proud to have advocated and fought hard for the people of the 20th Ohio Senate district," said Schaffer. The bill will now go to Governor DeWine for further consideration.