COLUMBUS —The Ohio Senate, by a vote of 23-9, gave final approval to the state budget bill Thursday.
Senator Randy Gardner (R-Bowling Green) spoke on the Senate floor in favor of the bill, highlighting several strengths of the budget that he maintains will help his Senate district and Ohio.
“No senator can support every page or every paragraph of a budget,” Gardner said of the 4,000-plus page bill. “But this budget provides great opportunities to help people.”
Gardner noted the budget contains a $1.8 billion net tax cut for individuals and small businesses, a two-year tuition freeze for students attending public universities and colleges, a significant increase in funding support for higher education and primary and secondary education, record support for food banks and an increase of more than 10 per cent for local libraries.
“The income tax cut is an equalized tax rate cut for every wage earner in every wage bracket,” Gardner said. “Our libraries are the best in America, and this budget helps them retain this status with an estimated increase of more than $40 million.”
The budget must be signed into law by Governor Kasich before July 1.
