Gov. DeWine’s budget plan falls short
Posted February 01, 2021 in Press Releases
Today Gov. Mike DeWine unveiled his state budget plan for fiscal years 2022-23. Policy Matters Ohio Executive Director Hannah Halbert releases the following statement based on an initial scan of the proposal:
“Now is the time our state leaders should be using all the tools at their disposal to help all Ohioans, no matter their race, the size of their bank accounts or where they live. Gov. DeWine’s proposed state budget will direct some much needed resources to Ohio’s communities in the form of broadband and infrastructure projects. However, his proposal leaves in place the existing upside-down tax system, under which the wealthiest Ohioans pay a much smaller share of their income than people with the lowest incomes do. That won’t allow for the investments Ohio’s people need.
“For thousands of Ohioans, it is raining now. By refusing to tap into the people’s money in the rainy day fund, DeWine’s plan falls short of providing basic support for the thousands of Ohioans who have been laid off or are doing dangerous jobs that expose them to the virus, but barely pay enough to make ends meet. He’s not doing enough to help the many who are living under threat of eviction, foreclosure or hunger. Black, brown and Indigenous Ohioans, and those with low incomes, have been hit hardest by the pandemic. DeWine should be leveraging everything at his disposal to get them the aid they urgently need.
“By leaving our upside-down tax code in place, DeWine missed an opportunity to lay the groundwork for long-lasting prosperity. For example, he doesn’t include the additional spending needed to correct Ohio’s long-unconstitutional K-12 school funding formula.
“DeWine wants to spend $50 million on a public relations campaign to attract people to our state — but the best way to attract people to Ohio is to make Ohio a place where everyone can thrive.”