Craig Condemns Senate Republican Budget

Today, state Senator Hearcel F. Craig (D-Columbus) voted against House Bill 96, the Senate Republicans' version of the state operating budget.

“It would be disingenuous to say there are not provisions in this bill that I am in support of," said Craig. "However, I am deeply troubled that H.B. 96 does not prioritize the critical needs of constituents and allocates funds to initiatives that are not in the best interests of everyday Ohioans. 

“The bill lacks strategic policy investments that would support our workforce, address gaps in health and education, as well as mitigate the critical housing crisis. As legislators, we have an obligation to promote fairness and equality in the appropriation of our state’s resources, and it is my belief that this bill falls short of that responsibility and fails to build ladders of opportunity for Ohioans.”

As passed by the Senate, House Bill 96 fails to address the needs of hardworking, everyday Ohioans. The Republican supermajorities in the legislature decimated many of the bipartisan provisions proposed by the governor that would have invested in our children and working families, and have decided to instead:

• Cut taxes for the wealthiest Ohioans by flattening the income tax to 2.75%;
• Underfund our public schools by using outdated inputs and tying performance to school funding, while continuing to invest historic amounts of public funds in vouchers for non-public, primarily religious schools;
• Give away $600 million of Ohioans’ unclaimed funds to the billionaire owners of the Cleveland Browns;
• Threaten health care coverage for 770,000 Ohioans and underfund crucial public health programs;
• Attack already marginalized groups by requiring libraries to censor materials related to “gender identity or sexual orientation” and codifying that the state only recognizes two biological sexes;
• Abandon the state’s partnership with local and county governments;
• Provide no meaningful property tax relief;
• Reduce funding for H2Ohio and lead abatement programs;
• Cut food bank funding; 
• Abolish the Ohio Elections Commission and transfer its duties to the Secretary of State’s office; and
• Politicize education by requiring party affiliation for State Board of Education and local school board races.

House Bill 96 now heads back to the Ohio House of Representatives for concurrence. If the House does not concur with the Senate’s changes, the bill will go to conference committee.