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  • Ohio Budget Watch is taking a break

    The Ohio Budget Watch project is going on vacation. We’re keeping the site live so you can still access the original content that was only reported here. But with an election year upon us, and policy debates well beyond the state budget, we’re redirecting our energies to blogging at Plunderbund. Thanks for reading, it’s super flattering when this many people can read the things you write.

    4/05/12 • (0)

  • Kasich capital bill not as small as advertised, but local governments still lose

    The capital bill, up for a vote in the House tomorrow, lacks funding for community projects, not because the money isn’t there, but because the Governor decided he didn’t want to fund them. Kasich’s budget director claims their capital bill is smaller than any in a decade, an assertion not backed up by facts. In 2009, Governor Strickland passed a capital bill that was smaller than Kasich’s, but that funded community projects.

    3/21/12 • (1)

  • Budget hearings this week

    It’s going to be another busy week of budget hearings – we have the details.

    3/20/12 • (0)

  • Kasich failure to reach out to GOP colleagues puts tax plan in jeopardy

    Legislative Outreach 101: Governor Kasich leaked his plan to cut the state’s income tax by raising taxes on oil companies to any newspaper that would print it. What he didn’t do was reach out to lawmakers who promptly responded by dumping his plan from the budget. Oops.

    3/19/12 • (6)

  • News: Floor Vote on Capital bill expected Thursday

    The state capital budget is on the fast-track to passage, at least in the House. Speaker Batchelder indicates a floor vote is possible next Thursday in a newly-scheduled 1 p.m. session. Meanwhile, hearings on the MBR, scheduled for today, have been cancelled and will be rescheduled next week.

    Meanwhile, the MBR, which Governor Kasich unveiled at a press conference yesterday, still remains to be introduced, and a hearing with testimony from OBM Director Keen set for this morning has been cancelled. Hearings are expected to begin in the House Finance committee next week.

    3/15/12 • (0)

  • News: MBR to be heard by multiple committees; no details on tax plan

    Speaker Batchelder indicates that some of the language of the Governor’s policy-filled Mid-Biennium Review budget bill is not ready yet, despite the scheduling of hearings beginning this morning. This isn’t the first time the Kasich administration has asked legislators to hear a bill without language to review.

    3/15/12 • (1)

  • First Look: What’s in the Capital Budget

    Today, the state capital budget for fiscal years 2013 and 2014 was introduced, and contains just over $1.7 billion in spending and $1.3 billion in new borrowing by the state. We break down some of the items of interest, including some limited funding for museums and historic sites, despite a stated ban on community projects.

    3/14/12 • (2)

  • Capital Reappropriations Bill Introduced

    The Capital Reappropriations bill was introduced in the State Senate today, and will receive its first hearing tomorrow. We expect the bill to be non-controversial and to pass quickly. The full text of the bill is available online.

    3/13/12 • (1)

  • News Reports: Details of Kasich education plan emerge

    Not set for official introduction until tomorrow, a number of details have come to light about what to expect from Governor Kasich’s education legislation. We have a copy of the amendments related to reforming Cleveland schools and a first look at other reforms included in the bill.

    3/13/12 • (0)

  • Kasich offers election year tax cut of $21 per Ohioan

    The Columbus Dispatch provides more details on the proposed income tax cut, expected in 2014, Kasich’s reelection year, thanks to increased tax collections on natural gas and oil drillers. The amount the average Ohio taxpayer can expect to collect works out to $21 in 2014. Will it be enough to guarantee a second term for Kasich?

    3/10/12 • (7)