‘A budget that invests in the people of Ohio. A budget that invests, particularly, in our children.’
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Now that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has signed the state’s new 2022-2023 budget bill into law, what does it actually mean for your family?
“A budget that invests in Ohio,” Gov. DeWine said during a Thursday morning press conference. “A budget that invests in the people of Ohio. A budget that invests, particularly, in our children.”
Gov. DeWine’s office sums up the bill as follows: “The new operating budget invests in growing a skilled workforce, expanding access to affordable childcare, addressing substance use disorders, supporting citizen mental health and wellbeing, expanding access to broadband, enhancing K-12 learning, expanding priority health programs, supporting local government and aiding in public safety.”
RELATED: WATCH: Gov. DeWine discusses Ohio’s new 2022-2023 budget
One of the big highlights includes an income tax cut for all Ohioans that’s worth an estimated $1.6 billion.
“Every single Ohioan will receive a tax cut of 3% across the board,” State senator and President Pro Tempore Jay Hottinger said during the press conference. “For those individuals who are making $25,000 or less, that’s been raised from $22,000 to $25,000, those individuals are receiving a 100% income tax reduction. That is 125,000 additional Ohioans that now have zero income tax burden in the state of Ohio.”
We streamed the entire press conference about Ohio’s budget live, which you can watch in the player below:
RELATED: Gov. DeWine signs bill allocating portion of $2.2 billion toward state’s economic recovery, infrastructure
Gov. DeWine really put a focus on how this “historic budget” is particularly impactful for the children of Ohio. Here are some of the points he highlighted from the budget:
- $13 million to pay for lead control and abatement throughout Ohio. “It focuses not only on lead at homes, it focuses on lead and lead pipes,” DeWine said. “That is an unprecedented amount of investment we are making.”
- $20 million goes toward expanding Ohio START program. “It provides specialized services to families, particularly children who have suffered victimization due to their parents’ drug use,” Gov. DeWine said.
- $24 million to bring Wendy’s Wonderful Kids to every county in Ohio. “It helps children who have been in foster care the longest find permanent, loving homes,” Gov. DeWine explained.
- $20 million in a new initiative to implement evidence-based programs to keep kids out of foster care.
- K-12 schools: “This budget will invest over $20 billion over the biennium in state funding for K-12. … This record state investment is a $1.7 billion (8.7%) increase over the prior biennium and will support the education of Ohio’s 1.7 million school children. This budget also provides Ohio families with more education choice options than ever before.”
Explore the documents below to see more highlights of the new budget.
THRIVING ECONOMY FACT SHEET:
HEALTHY PEOPLE FACT SHEET:
RENEWED COMMUNITIES FACT SHEET:
