Rep. Workman Votes for Final Operating Budget, Delivering Major Property Tax Relief and Supporting Ohio's Workforce and Local Priorities

COLUMBUS – State Representative Workman (R-Rootstown) today announced that the Ohio House of Representatives approved the conference committee report for Am. Sub. House Bill 96 – the State Operating Budget. The budget plan, which allocates funding for state programs and operations for the next two years, includes provisions that aim to protect freedom, family and fiscal responsibility – approving historic property tax relief for Ohioans, implementing a flat tax rate and providing a record amount of state funding for school districts. 

"This budget reflects our conservative commitment to fostering economic development and maintaining our commitment to small government," said Workman. "It focuses on smart, future-focused investments to strengthen our communities while keeping government lean and efficient while addressing the issues that matter most here in House District 72."

DELIVERING HISTORIC PROPERTY TAX RELIEF TO OHIOANS 

Ohioans all over the state have called on the legislature to tackle rising property taxes, and members of the Ohio House are providing historic relief for taxpayers as soon as January 2026. The budget implements a process for schools that carry forward more than 40% of their general budget in unspent cash at the end of each year to be distributed back to Ohioans in property tax relief. District cash carryovers have increased year-over-year from $3.6 billion to $10.5 billion since tracking began in 2012. Utilizing carryover data from 2024, and assuming school district carryover amounts remain similar, the plan will save Ohioans over $2.5 billion in property taxes starting next year. 

"We are dedicated to easing the property tax burden and ensuring sustainable school funding for Portage County," said Workman. "I’m proud of the relief this budget delivers to families and homeowners, but there is more work to do. This budget is just the beginning of our continued efforts to address these issues.  It is important to note that all property taxes stay in the local government fund to pay for public services.  In this budget we have empowered local government to provide property tax relief in every way possible.”

In addition to billions in direct relief, the bill makes a variety of structural changes that aim to promote transparency, update the levy process and enhance checks and balances for property tax rates at the local level, ensuring that taxpayers see more direct control over ballooning property tax bills. Direct relief can now be provided to residential homeowners by the Board of County Commissioners who may provide up to a 2.5% owner-occupancy tax credit on a taxpayer’s bill (modeled off the state’s current owner-occupancy credit) for all residents and a permissive homestead exemption for those who qualify for the state homestead exemptions.

A STRONGER ECONOMY WITH A FLAT TAX

Republicans in the legislature have continued to phase down the state income tax in recent years, providing savings for Ohioans. The new budget plan takes the top tax bracket down from 3.5% to 3.125% in tax year 2025 and down to 2.75% in tax year 2026, and into the future. The move to a flat tax makes Ohio more competitive with surrounding states, simplifies the tax code, and spurs revenue. 

CHALLENGING THE BURDEN OF E-CHECK

In a major win for Northeast Ohio residents, an amendment authored by Rep. Workman requires the Ohio EPA to conduct a comprehensive review of the E-Check vehicle emissions program, examining whether regional weather patterns affect emissions and if current regulations are still necessary. The review must be completed and submitted to the General Assembly within 18 months. If the findings show that environmental goals can be achieved without the program, the EPA will be directed to formally request reconsideration of the federal requirement.

“For too long we have been burdened with a bureaucratic e-check mandate outside our control.  When compliance was met, which it was, the U.S. EPA would move the goal post, setting back our local progress each time,” said Workman. “We’ve had enough. It's time the Ohio EPA and U.S. EPA put an end to these authoritarian, unattainable, and artificially manipulated regulations. My amendment requires a re-evaluation of this mandate and an official report to the General Assembly with a goal toward full elimination.”

BOOSTING FUNDING FOR OHIO SCHOOLS 

The budget prioritizes the education and well-being of Ohio students, ensuring that school districts are funded through the final phase of the Cupp-Patterson funding model. Ohio public schools will receive nearly $700 million more for public education over the biennium than they received in FY25. 

“This budget continues the final two years of the Fair School Funding Plan phase-in for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, ensuring no district receives less state aid than in fiscal year 2021, while providing additional funding through growth supplements of $225 per student in FY 2026 for districts with at least 5% enrollment growth and $250 per student in FY 2027 for districts with at least 3% growth,” said Workman. 

PRIORITIZING THE WORKFORCE PIPELINE THROUGH RETENTION OF OUR GRADS

Under a provision championed by Rep. Workman, Ohio’s formula for distributing $100 million annually through the State Share of Instruction (SSI) will now prioritize retention-based outcomes—rewarding colleges and training programs that graduate students who choose to live and work in Ohio after earning their degrees. This outcome-focused funding model helps ensure that public dollars support real economic returns and strengthens the state’s long-term workforce development strategy. The budget also includes a $10 million initiative for technician-aligned associate degrees, directly linking education with in-demand careers in Ohio.

“Originally the Governor’s budget prioritized the state share of instruction being allocated to wage-based outcomes,” said Workman.  “My amendment ensures that $100 million dollars is allocated to colleges that filter Ohio grads into Ohio jobs.”

PROTECTING OHIO’S TOP-RANKED LIBRARIES

Ohio continues to lead the nation in public library funding—investing at a rate 14 times higher than the national average. Under this budget, Portage County libraries will see a 2.4% increase in state funding over the next two years. While the bill transitions library funding away from an automatic percentage of the General Revenue Fund, it ensures the Public Library Fund will now come before the General Assembly like other state agencies, allowing for a transparent and accountable review of future funding needs.

REVITALIZING LOCAL COMMUNITIES 

House Bill 96 continues to invest in various state initiatives that help solidify Ohio as the best place in the nation to live, work, raise a family and start a business. The bill increases funding for Brownfield Remediation, provides funding to help with blight, continued investments for the All Ohio Future Fund, further expands the Welcome Home Ohio program, and helps address the housing shortage across the state through two new targeted initiatives designed to incentivize additional single family home construction.

SUPPORTING OHIO FAMILIES 

To help families who need assistance paying for childcare, the budget establishes the Child Care Choice program, providing $100 million for eligible families, helping more Ohioans cover the cost of needed child care services. The bill also increases funding for the Help Me Grow program, which is a system of supports for pregnant women, caregivers with new babies, and families with young children with developmental delays and disabilities. 

EMPOWERING SCHOOL CHOICE 

House Bill 96 continues the state’s commitment to school choice by increasing the maximum awards for the Autism Scholarship and Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarships while also establishing an option for parents whose children attend a non-chartered non-public school to utilize an education savings account to help with the cost of their education.  The bill also enhances the state’s current home education tax credit.

BACKING THE BLUE

This budget invests in supporting law enforcement and promoting public safety by providing $65 million over the biennium for local law enforcement training, $21 million over the biennium to support local costs of the MARCS program, which helps equip first responders to better respond to emergency situations and $27 million over the biennium for the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center. Additionally, the budget includes $8 million to provide grants to small county volunteer fire departments. 

PROMOTING HEALTHCARE TRANSPARENCY 

In an effort to promote transparency in the Medicaid program, the bill works to protect taxpayer dollars and eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse through a number of provisions, creating a variety of new reporting requirements that the Ohio Department of Medicaid must follow and ensures that important audits will be conducted on state Medicaid spending. 

CHAMPIONING CONSERVATIVE VALUES

The State of Ohio’s budget plan takes a strong stance on reinforcing conservative values. 

• Ushers in substantial property tax relief beginning in 2026.
• Enacts a flat income tax, making Ohio one of the lowest income tax states in the United States.
• Establishes a statewide policy recognizing that there are only two genders.
• Excludes the purchase of sugar-sweetened beverages under the SNAP program.
• Removes the Governor’s proposed tax increases and several proposed fee increases.
• Removes all gaming/gambling expansion provisions.
• Requires libraries to keep materials related to sexual orientation or gender identity out of the view of minors.
• Eliminates some affirmative action requirements for state contracts.
• Prevents menstrual products from being distributed in men’s bathrooms in state-owned buildings.
• Makes substantial improvements and enhancements to Ohio’s school choice opportunities for students.
• Prohibits Medicaid funds from being used for DEI programs, combatting discrimination and indoctrination.
• Includes $10 million each FY for the Parenting and Pregnancy Program and establishes a $750 tax credit for pregnancy resource center donations, defending the sanctity of life and supporting pregnant mothers.
• Expands the Ohio Department of Health’s report providing statistics for all abortion reports
• Prohibits state agencies from flying any flag except the American flag, state flag, POW/MIA flag, or a flag with an official state agency logo
• Prohibits state funds from being distributed to youth shelters that promote or affirm social gender transition.

¿House Bill 96 now goes to the Governor for consideration.