DeWine’s budget long on vision, short on revenue
Posted April 04, 2019 in Press Releases
In 2017, Policy Matters launched its Budget Bite series to provide journalists, advocates, legislators and everyday Ohioans with easy to digest state budget analysis. Today, the group is releasing the first bite in this state budget cycle, focusing on Governor Mike DeWine’s 2020-2021 executive budget proposal.
Governor DeWine makes some exciting proposals in his budget plan. He wants to increase home visits for at risk mothers and babies, double funding for kids in foster care, and give extra support to public school districts that serve kids navigating trauma and poverty. These are commendable goals. And unlike previous administrations, he has not proposed tax cuts, another encouraging sign.
After years of disinvestment, however, leaving the state tax code largely alone is not enough. Years of tax cuts that benefit the wealthy and powerful have sucked $6 billion a year from the state budget. The state now awards $9 billion in tax breaks, too much of which goes to special interests. The LLC loophole, an unproductive tax break for business owners, alone costs $1 billion a year. Meanwhile, support for crucial programs like Ohio’s public transit systems and need-based college aid is woefully insufficient.
“You can save money by skipping oil changes, but eventually, your car will break down—and the cost of repair will be way more than you saved on motor oil,” Budget Bite author and Senior Project Director Wendy Patton said. “This is where we are with the state budget. Ohio’s lawmakers have been cutting corners for too long. We need to do some repairs. that will take Ohioans coming together to invest in each other.”
Download executivebudgetbite2019.pdf