COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Ohio’s $78 billion budget for the next two years passed the full General Assembly Monday night.
The House-Senate conference committee approved the budget Monday afternoon.
The Senate voted 32-1 in favor of the budget, while the House voted 82-13.
According to a press release from the state House of Representatives, the budget includes a 3 percent personal income tax cut. In addition, the budget reduces the number of tax brackets from five to four and eliminates income tax for anyone making less than $25,000 per year.
The budget also includes the Fair School Funding Plan, a plan supported by the state’s educators.
In addition, the budget sets aside $250 million to support the Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant Program and the Ohio Broadband Expansion Program Authority to provide “last-mile connectivity” to homes that can’t be served by private broadband providers due to cost.
There is also $15 million earmarked for increased law enforcement training and $10 million for police body cameras and funding for rape kits, crime reduction, and school safety.
While the budget was approved with bipartisian support, there were those on both sides who said there were parts of the budget they didn’t like.
“Even though I did support this version of the budget in conference committee, it definitely is not the budget I would have crafted at all,” said Rep. Erica Crawley (D- Columbus)
“There are many items in this bill I do not like,” said state Sen. George F. Lang (R-West Chester Township). “I call it this bill has warts, but there are so many good things in this bill. I can happily support this bill even with all of what I consider to be the warts the bill has.”
The budget must be signed by Gov. Mike DeWine by June 30.
“Lot of negotiations, lot of compromise, and both sides are happy, so you guys are going to see a good product when it comes out,” said Rep. Phil Plummer (R-Dayton).