Ahead of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s annual State of the State address Wednesday, Democratic state lawmakers say they see areas in which they align with DeWine from across the aisle.
During the noon remarks from the Ohio House chamber, DeWine will have the stage to outline his plans and priorities—both in and out of the biennial state budget—directly to lawmakers for 2025. House lawmakers are currently vetting and amending DeWine’s fourth and final budget, which he argues focuses heavily on children and families.
Senate Minority Leader Sen. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) said Tuesday her caucus is all in for DeWine’s proposed child tax credit, which he wants funded by hiking taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products. The refundable $1,000 per year and per child tax credit would be provided to parents who qualify through a child’s sixth birthday.
As for other potential budget pitches where there is common ground, like increasing child care assistance eligibility, Antonio said “the devil’s just in the details of how we get there.”
“Frankly, if we can increase vouchers to 400% plus of the federal poverty level, then certainly we should be able to increase the threshold for some of our lowest income folks to be able to access child care,” she said. “It seems to me to be a no brainer.”
Under DeWine’s version of the budget, that assistance threshold would go to 200%, but Antonio said Democrats would like it at 300%.
K-12 public school funding, alongside funding of school choice, has increasingly divided the two parties in Columbus.
House Minority Leader Rep. Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) said Monday she, too, is frustrated by more state money potentially going to private and charter vouchers. The proposed $2.4 billion under DeWine’s version of the budget, she believes, should go elsewhere.
“The reality is 90% of Ohio’s children attend our public schools and in many communities, especially in our rural communities, our public schools are the center of community,” Russo said. “We should not be shortchanging them of the amount of money it takes to educate students.”
Russo wants DeWine to tell lawmakers more about his vision for providing potential property tax relief to property owners, she said, since his version of the budget is absent any.
Senate Democrats also called on DeWine to hold Intel accountable for its investment commitments to Ohio and to put a moratorium on fracking in state parks and lands, Antonio said.
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