Mid-Biennium Review should invest more, cut taxes less
Posted April 01, 2014 in Press Releases
For immediate releaseContact Wendy Patton, 614.582.0048Full reportDownload release (1 pg)Instead of securing Ohio’s future, MBR cuts and shifts taxes
Investment in services that benefit all Ohioans would be a better use of state funds than tax cuts, according to a policy brief released today by Policy Matters Ohio. Gov. Kasich’s proposal continues to shift the weight of state taxes from the most affluent to middle- and lower-income Ohioans.
Tax cuts don’t work to boost the economy: Better use of state resources would be restoring and building investment in communities, public schools, infrastructure, health and human services. These are the main points of a new policy brief that pulls together recommendations for investments Ohio needs.
“Ohio has underinvested in key services since the recession,” said Wendy Patton, report author. “Instead of tax cuts we should invest to make our communities safer and stronger.”
Among the priorities highlighted in the brief are restoring money for police and firefighters and hiring teachers to reduce class size. “We could also start whittling down the huge waiting list for services for the developmentally disabled,” said Patton, “and make up for the loss of federal food assistance for thousands of needy adults.”
Among other recommendations: use available funds to cut Ohio’s high infant mortality rates, for public transportation and to continue helping the thousands of families still struggling with foreclosure.
“Loss of services and inadequate services detract from our quality of life,” said Patton. “Ohio should restore funding in ways that benefit all Ohio families.”