Smith Votes Against Republican 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 96, the state operating budget.

“Budgets are battle plans for our shared future, but this budget leaves far too many behind as it makes the comfortable more comfortable and the afflicted more afflicted," said Smith. "I was strongly opposed to the tax cuts for the wealthy, the failure to fully fund the Fair School Funding Plan, and the $600 million giveaway for a domed stadium project that contains such unrealistic assumptions that I believe that it will never be built as proposed.  But that won't stop us from giving billionaires millions more as we underfund food banks, libraries, water safety, and countless more deserving programs.”

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.