Capitol Letters By State Senator Steve Buehrer

Thoughts on passing state budget 

    Over the last several months, the state budget bill (House Bill 119) traveled from the Governor, to the House and then to the Senate picking up new ideas and reforms along the way.  During this budget process, a wave of bipartisan spirit swept through the Statehouse bringing legislators together under a common goal of moving Ohio’s economy forward and enhancing the quality of life for all Ohioans. Naturally, as with any budget process, there were disagreements and compromise along the way and there are provisions in the budget that I would personally have done differently or not included at all.  This will always be the case in a budget document that contains nearly 2,000 pages of text.    However, in the end, the General Assembly passed a fiscally-responsible bill that members on both sides of the aisle can celebrate.

    One of the things I was most proud of in this budget was the legislature’s commitment to the phase-in of important tax reforms, including the phasing in of a 21 percent income tax cut and elimination of several onerous business taxes that worked to stifle economic growth. In addition, the legislature rallied around the Governor’s proposal to implement a significant property tax cut for all Ohio seniors and Ohioans with permanent disabilities, many of whom are on a fixed income, by exempting from taxes the first $25,000 of their homes’ value.  Even though this budget contains an ongoing phase in of the commercial activity tax (CAT), that I did not support when it was created, HB 119, when viewed in totality, is a tax cut of over $600 million  in fiscal year 2008 (beginning July 1, 2007) and more than $1.25 billion in fiscal year 2009.

    My colleagues and I also made important investments in education. We supported the Governor’s proposal for primary and secondary education, which largely adopts the “Building Blocks” school funding formula adopted in the last general assembly, and provides additional dollars for low-income, low-property wealth school districts. The legislature also gave historic support for students pursuing higher education opportunities, establishing a two-year tuition freeze for all public colleges and universities in Ohio and providing significant financial assistance through scholarships and other programs.

    The General Assembly’s final version of the budget also ensures Ohio families and senior citizens have access to the health services they need, while maintaining our commitment to holding Medicaid spending in-check. In addition, HB 119 includes key support for economic development initiatives throughout the state. For instance, the bill grants important funding to the Ohio Department of Development for job training programs and to attract business investment to the state, and also allocates $250 million a year to attract next-generation energy projects to Ohio that have the potential to create hundreds of jobs.

    On June 30, the Governor signed HB 119 into law. While he kept much of the overall vision of the budget intact, I was disappointed to see his decision to veto several programs that I feel are essential to providing a quality education to all of Ohio’s children while maintaining strong family values in this state. For instance, the Governor eliminated funding for abstinence education programs in our schools, a provision that had been included in the General Assembly’s final version of the budget.  I feel this is a misguided and dangerous decision for the future health and well-being of Ohio’s young people and, despite the Governor’s veto, I will continue to advocate for abstinence education and other conservative, pro-family programs.

    In addition, the Governor vetoed a scholarship program that would have allowed the parents of children with special needs the freedom to choose a school that would best fit their child’s situation. By doing so, Governor Strickland has sentenced many of these kids back into traditional classroom programs where they may not be able to get the one-on-one attention and special services they need to be successful.

    Governor Strickland did a tremendous disservice to Ohio’s special education students and their families, as well as hindering the distribution of information to Ohio students on healthy life styles and responsible decisions in their personal lives through his vetoes in this budget.  However, while the Governor fell short in these areas, his veto decision did not overshadow the truly bipartisan commitment in this budget to put Ohio on a path toward future success. I commend all those involved in the budget process for putting differences aside and working for the betterment of all Ohioans.
    I encourage all residents of the 1st Senate District to contact me with any questions, thoughts or concerns, or if you need assistance working with a state government agency. You can write me, Senator Steve Buehrer, Ohio Senate, Statehouse, Columbus, OH 43215, or contact me by phone at 614.466.8150. In addition, I can be reached by email at SD01@mailr.sen.state.oh.us.