Ohio legislature passes $2.4B budget plan

March 27, 2014 at 12:02a.m.

COLUMBUS

The Ohio House approved a $2.4 billion plan to fund buildings, roads and other projects over the next couple of years.

The Youngstown Business Incubator, Youngstown State University, Stambaugh Auditorium and others would benefit from about $17 million for proposed Mahoning Valley improvements included in the plan.

The legislation includes more than $14.7 million for projects in Mahoning County, about $1.1 million in Columbiana County and nearly $1.5 million in Trumbull County.

The vote on House Bill 497 was 88-2, sending the legislation to the Ohio Senate for further consideration. The bill is expected to pass that chamber and reach Gov. John Kasich’s desk next week.

HB 497 includes about $675 million for school repairs, about $450 million for colleges and universities, $369 million for road, bridge and related public-works projects, $100 million in Clean Ohio funding for farmland, open spaces and related projects and $574 million for state agencies’ capital needs.

The new capital budget is up from about $1.8 billion approved for 2013-14, and most of the projects are backed by long-term debt issued by the state. For the first time in about six years, the capital budget also includes funding for local projects.

Most of the work on the bill came before its formal introduction last week, with colleges and universities and state agencies prioritizing spending plans for maintenance and new building needs.

There were no amendments offered from the floor Wednesday and only brief comments on the bill’s content from sponsoring Rep. Ron Amstutz, R-Wooster. No lawmakers stood to oppose.