Representative Jon Cross Announces Passage of State Operating Budget Strengthening Northwest Ohio and the 83rd House District

COLUMBUS—State Representative Jon Cross (R- Kenton) today announced that the state operating budget signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine greatly benefits Northwest Ohio and the 83^rd House District. House Bill 166, the state operating budget bill, includes meaningful tax relief as well as additional funding for education, agriculture, workforce investments, economic development and local governments.

“I’m honored to serve and champion the people and communities of the 83^rd District to get the best outcomes in the state operating budget,” said Cross. “I’m proud that the House and Senate were able to come to an agreement on a budget that has the best results for Ohioans.”

Highlights include:

• Clarifies the calculation of payments-in-lieu-of-taxes, paid by solar energy projects that receive the exemption. This provision allows local school districts to get PILOT program payments as they were intended.

• Income tax rates are cut by 4% across all of Ohio. For low income Ohioans, the plan eliminates the personal income tax for those who earn less than $21,750. Overall, the plan represents a $630 million tax cut over the biennium.

• The budget provides record funding for schools, a $381.8 million, 4.1 percent increase for the 2019-20 school year. Funding will also increase an additional 2 percent for the following school year. The plan also funds services that address non-academic barriers to student success, including much-needed mental health, family engagement and support services.

• Ohio’s foster care system has been stretched to the limit by the addiction crisis. While Ohio has already done great work in recent years to help those suffering from addiction, this budget makes further strides to help those children and others impacted by addiction.

• Reinstates the Rural Industrial Park Loan Fund to support loans and loan guarantees for the development and improvement of industrial parks in rural Ohio.  

• Provides $4.7 million for the Agricultural Society Facilities Grant Program, being created under the bill. The program would allow each of Ohio’s 94 county and independent agricultural societies to apply for funding for much needed capital projects.

• Makes changes to the Local Government Fund and provides an additional $10 million over the biennium for the Local Government Fund; also provides an additional $10 million over the biennium for the Public Library Fund.

• Provides $20 million for a new program to help school districts replace old and unreliable buses. Details of the program would be developed by the Ohio Department of Education, in partnership with the Ohio Department of Public Safety.

• Provides grant funding to support volunteer fire departments and departments in small municipalities or townships.