Buckeye Reporter

Columbus, OH – The Buckeye Institute provided testimony on Thursday before the Ohio House Finance Committee concerning Ohio Substitute House Bill 96, which is the state's biennial budget.

In his remarks, Greg R. Lawson, a research fellow at The Buckeye Institute, acknowledged the complex nature of the budget, describing it as a “mixed bag of belt-tightening, policy improvements, and missed opportunities.” Lawson pointed out that House Bill 96 fails to tackle tax expenditures or close loopholes and introduces new earmarks.

Despite some shortfalls, Lawson commended the legislature for implementing “innovative guardrails” to control Medicaid spending. He stressed the importance of enforcing Ohio’s Medicaid work requirement waiver and keeping an eye on any federal moves that could alter hospital franchise fees.

Addressing K-12 and higher education, Lawson highlighted several positive steps taken by lawmakers, including maintaining increases in per-student allocations for charter schools and upping support for the Jon Peterson and Autism scholarships. He also praised the requirement for public schools to reconsider or sell unused properties to charter schools and maintained that state report cards should include a readiness component for college, career, workforce, and military aspirations.

Lawson recommended expanding a pilot program to enhance transportation for charter and private school students and supported modifying higher education funding formulas to include outcomes-based metrics, a proposal aligning with previous recommendations from The Buckeye Institute.

On tax matters, he welcomed the retention of pro-growth policies established in 2023, including the decision not to suspend the indexation of tax brackets to inflation.

Closing his testimony, Lawson emphasized the need for fiscal responsibility given current economic conditions and urged further reforms, especially concerning tax and local government matters.