The Ohio House of Representative on Wednesday passed Substitute House Bill 110, the House’s version of Ohio’s two-year budget plan. State Representative Shane Wilkin (R-Hillsboro) voted in support of the bill.

Among various aspects, the bill provides a 2 percent income tax cut to all Ohioans, supports the Southern State Community College Ohio Code-Scholar Pilot Program and re-appropriates funds from the Pike Capital Case into the budget.

“The passage of this budget is a success for the 91st House District,” said Wilkin. “As a member of the House Finance Committee, I was attentive to the changes and additions made to the bill since it was first introduced. I am confident that this is the well-balanced budget Ohio needs.”

The legislation includes a 2 percent income tax rate cut across the board, which will reduce taxes and withholding amounts by approximately $380 million over the course of the biennium. Coupled with recently passed legislation conforming Ohio’s tax code to federal law, the House has provided nearly $500 million in personal income tax cuts this biennium. The bill also establishes greater government oversight and accountability to ensure that state resources are being spent reasonably and used in a manner consistent with the intent of the General Assembly.

It also requires Southern State Community College to establish and maintain the Ohio Code-Scholarship Pilot Program to support technical workforce needs and to operate for a period of five years. This provision would allow high schools within the 91st House District the ability to provide coding and similar classes for students while giving them exposer to technical workforce needs. The budget also re-appropriates the balance from the Pike Capital Case from last fiscal year into this budget.

House Bill 110 creates the Fair School Funding plan, what Wilkin said is a fair plan to all of Ohio’s public schools. The Fair School Funding Plan is the result of more than three years of work by educators and policymakers with a formula that is predictable, sustainable and transparent.

Additionally, the bill supports jobs and Ohio’s economy through targeted investments to support job retention and creation, workforce training and economic development efforts. It allocates $200 million for the House’s broadband expansion package, House Bill 2, which Wilkin supported earlier this year. It also creates a 13-member joint legislative committee to study career pathways and workforce training.

House Bill 110 also appropriates $155 million in grants for industries negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including newly formed businesses. Grants from this funding will be available in the fiscal year beginning July 1. The grants include the following:

· $100 million for bars and restaurants

· $25 million for the lodging industry

· $20 million for indoor and outdoor entertainment venues

· $10 million for new businesses

For more information, contact Wilkin’s office at 614-466-3506 or [email protected].

Submitted by the office of Shane Wilkin.