Ohio House Budget Moves Ohio Ahead

Ohio House Budget Moves Ohio Ahead

COLUMBUS, OHIO--On Friday, April 17, The Buckeye Institute released Ohio House Budget is a Big Step Forward, a review of the Ohio House of Representatives' substitute budget bill for fiscal years 2016-2017.  The report applauds the House for improving the budget in four key ways:

1.  Pro-growth tax policies

2.  Medicaid reforms

3.  Less spending

4.  Labor reforms

Lead author Greg Lawson stated, "Speaker Rosenberger and the Ohio House shouldn't need Don Draper to sell this budget bill to the public.  The House budget makes sensible reforms to key government programs, contains sound tax policies, and restrains government spending so that Ohio businesses and families can thrive."

The Governor's budget proposed to lower the state income tax by raising the commercial activities tax (CAT) on business gross receipts, the severance tax on shale oil and gas extraction, and the state sales tax.  The House opted for more equitable and pro-growth tax policies echoing The Buckeye Institute's Tax Reform Principles for Ohio.

The report also praises the House's bold reduction of overall General Revenue Fund spending relative to the Governor's proposed budget.  Additionally, the report analyzes important reforms to both the Medicaid program and to labor agreements for public works projects. 

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Founded in 1989, The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions is an independent research and educational institution -- a think tank -- whose mission is to advance free-market public policy.