Ohio House members passed a $55.6 billion budget plan Thursday night that would cut funding to schools and local governments but not as deeply as Gov. John Kasich has proposed.
The Republican-led chamber voted 59-40 along party lines to keep intact most of the governor's cost-saving measures _ including the sale of five state prisons and a Medicaid overhaul.
A story from the AP says, the chairman of the House Finance and Appropriations Committee acknowledged that it wasn't an easy budget proposal for lawmakers to stomach.
"This is a budget made for voting no," Rep. Ron Amstutz, R-Wooster. "It's only those who feel that it's a responsibility to lead our state forward who are going to be voting for this budget today."
The legislation now goes to the GOP-controlled Senate, where hearings have already begun. Lawmakers have until June 30 to pass a two-year spending blueprint. The next fiscal year begins July 1.
Kasich praised the representatives for having the "courage to take on stubborn problems." He said he looked forwarded with working with the Senate on the plan.
"Together, we're going to get this thing done and lift up Ohio," he said in a written statement.
The House put its mark on the first-term Republican governor's plan by eliminating the state's estate tax beginning in 2013, allowing the lease or sale of a sixth state prison, and dramatically expanding opportunities for charter and online education.
The House budget would spend $80 million more than Kasich's on state aid to schools, including targeted help to suburban districts that took hits under his plan. But that money does not offset hundreds of millions in planned reductions to education brought on largely by the expiration of federal stimulus grants.
However, the House added a guarantee that no district would see a cut of more than 20 percent in its state aid.
Some of a 33 percent cut to local government funding would also be blunted with an infusion of business tax dollars to municipalities and townships that share services.
Click here to read more of this story from the AP.
