Medina Today

State Representative Sharon Ray of Wadsworth has cast her vote in favor of Amended Substitute House Bill 96, which serves as the House's version of the State Operating Budget. This decision is described as a major step in investing in Ohio's families and its future.

"The vote on HB 96 – Ohio’s general operating budget – was one of the most difficult votes of my career," Ray stated. "There are several things included that I have strong reservations about; in the end, my yes vote was a reflection of what I believe is best for the citizens of House District 66."

The budget outlines several key initiatives:

- House Bill 96 includes increases in funding for every school district in Ohio, with Medina County Schools notably receiving more support than what was proposed in both the Governor's budget and the Fair School Funding model.

- Medina County libraries will also benefit, receiving $152,100 more in funding than in the previous biennium budget.

- In a bid to provide property tax relief, the bill establishes a process whereby schools that retain over 30% of their unspent cash by year's end will be required to allocate the excess for property tax reductions. This initiative is expected to return more than $4 billion to Ohioans.

- The Child Care Choice program is introduced within the budget to assist eligible families with the expenses of child care, allocating $100 million each fiscal year. Additionally, the budget increases financial support for the Help Me Grow program, which aids families with new babies and children with developmental challenges.

- The budget aims to enhance workforce readiness and support higher education by investing in scholarships and increasing the State Share of Instruction by 2%. The TechCred program continues under this budget to help employers upskill their workforce without financial burden.

The bill is now set to be reviewed by the Ohio Senate.