Valley lawmakers satisfied with proposed Ohio $69B budget

YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning Valley’s state lawmakers expressed satisfaction with the proposed $69 billion, two-year budget bill.

State Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan of Youngstown, D-58th, said, “Democrats are feeling very good about the budget. We worked in a bipartisan way to help give tax breaks to working-class families and to invest in jobs in Ohio.”

She added: “I’m happy with the investment in [kindergarten] through 12 education and to make college more affordable.”

State Rep. Don Manning of New Middletown, R-59th, said, “I think it’s a great budget. We got a $108 million net decrease in taxes. Every Ohioan will get a reduction in taxes.”

The budget completely eliminates the personal income tax for those who earn less than $22,250 and reduces personal income taxes by 6.6 percent for everyone else.

Also, $1 million is earmarked for America Makes – National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute in downtown Youngstown to help it with upgrades and equipment purchases, and $150,000, $75,000 annually for two years, for Camp James A. Garfield in Ravenna, which is seeking to be designated by the federal government as an interceptor site. It’s one of three finalists.

Also included in the Ohio version of the budget is the “West Branch Rule,” which wouldn’t permit school districts to cut busing during a school year, Manning said.

State Rep. Michael O’Brien of Warren, D-64th, said, “We got a pretty good tax cut for middle-class Ohioans. The budget addresses taxes, welfare and clean water.”