Gov. Mike DeWine said in his State-of-the-State address on Tuesday that the health and opportunities of Ohio’s children serve as the motivation for a state budget proposal that includes providing a $2,500 child tax deduction, extending school vouchers, funding mental health, and spending $2.5 billion to prepare large sites for economic development.
DeWine, a Republican entering his second term, assured the GOP-dominated Legislature that his incoming budget proposal will continue efforts to implement a fairer, more dependable school financing formula, which had already been included in the prior budget.
Additionally, the governor suggested establishing a brand-new Department of Children and Youth Services with a focus on foster care and children’s physical and mental health.
He said that the two-year state operating budget would also eliminate the state’s sales tax on essential baby items like diapers, wipes, and cribs while offering high-quality childcare for an additional 15,000 children.
DeWine also wants to offer a $5,000 annual incentive to students in the top 5% of their high school classes who decide to attend college in the state, as well as $300 million in one-time money for capital renovations and equipment for career tech education – an expenditure that Democrats praised.
“We want our kids to develop, learn, and ultimately live and work right here in Ohio,” DeWine added. And we’re certain that the alterations we’ve just outlined will enable them to achieve that. As we generate jobs quicker than we can fill them, keeping our young people in Ohio has never been more crucial.
He advocated for the establishment of the Our Ohio Future Fund, which would spend $2.5 billion preparing economic investment sites across the state to put every Ohioan within “commuting distance” of such locales.
DeWine requested financing from the legislature for the State of Ohio Action for Resiliency Network (SOAR Network), which will carry out multi-year research on the mental health of Ohioans.
The network would bring together therapists, social workers, psychologists, nurses, and others to identify the most successful therapies and unearth novel approaches to treating addiction and mental illness.
Because they keep Ohioans employed and our state growing, he added, “We will do these things.” However, we shall also carry them out because it is just morally appropriate to do so.
He also proposes spending $40 million annually on educating police officers in subjects including de-escalation, use of force, and crisis intervention for those with mental illnesses.
He also wants to fund an improved 911 system for emergencies. A unanimous standing ovation was given to both proposals. Using one-time funds for one-time expenses, DeWine described the budget proposal as “fiscally solid.”
While there are many budget issues to look at, Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, said he is generally “delighted” with the idea, particularly the elements designed to make it simpler to have or adopt children.
However, he has reservations regarding ideas that rely on one-time funding from sources like the American Rescue Plan Act.
“What this implies is that the state government will be responsible for paying these things into the future, probably, and if the state doesn’t have the money to pay for those things, then there has to be a cut somewhere,” Huffman said.
If DeWine is successful in increasing the eligibility for the school voucher program called as EdChoice, teachers’ unions and Democratic lawmakers have expressed worry about how DeWine’s proposals might impact public schools.
He also suggested increasing the per-pupil facilities funding for public charter schools from $500 to $1,000 and giving each additional $3,000 to support economically disadvantaged pupils attending them.
Although they applaud DeWine’s focus on enhancing maternal and child health, Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio of Lakewood and House Minority Leader Allison Russo of Upper Arlington feel that the budget should also include funding for reproductive health care and safeguards for kids against gun violence.
According to Russo, “we are aware that the priorities that Governor DeWine outlined today demonstrate the promise for a bright future and what is possible for Ohio.”
But to accomplish these objectives and turn them into reality, Ohio needs to invest in its people, who are the state’s most important asset and its future leaders.
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