Blackshear Votes Against Republican State Budget

Today, state Senator Willis E. Blackshear Jr. (D-Dayton) issued the following statement after the Ohio Senate voted to accept conference committee changes to House Bill 96, the state operating budget.

“This budget disregards the interests of working families and children while cutting taxes for the wealthiest Ohioans," said Blackshear. "Between cuts to childcare, public education, libraries, and more essential public services, this budget falls short of meeting the needs of the people that we serve.”

This budget cuts taxes for the wealthiest residents of our state, gives away $600 million in Ohioans’ unclaimed funds to the Cleveland Browns, underfunds our public schools by billions, provides no meaningful property tax relief, and threatens Medicaid coverage for nearly 800,000 Ohioans. It also slashes critical funding across the state for public health, lead abatement programs, clean water, public libraries, and food banks.

For the first time since 2001, not a single Democrat voted in support of the state operating budget. Ohioans deserve better.

House Bill 96 now heads to Governor DeWine for his signature. He may still line-item veto provisions of the budget.