COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio House passed a multibillion-dollar spending bill, proposing to send dozens of millions to the Northeast Ohio area.
House Bill 2 contains two different aspects so far. There is the $350 million one-time funding that came from a surplus from the last operating budget, and there is $1.65 billion in other bondable appropriations — totaling about $2 billion.
This is confusing, which the lawmakers acknowledge.
In plain English — the projects slated to receive the $1.65 billion are typically in the capital budget — however, the House Finance leaders wanted to get the projects done before the full and extensive capital budget comes out.
"We're trying to get ahead of the game and get that money out there," House Finance Chair Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) said.
He wants shovels in the ground by summer, and these projects took priority.
Cuyahoga County is shaping up for some major investments this year.
"When you mention Cleveland, they'll mention LeBron James and the Rock Hall," state Rep. Jamie Callender (R-Concord) said. "Unlike LeBron James, the Rock Hall is probably not going to leave us."
The Ohio House passed a part of the capital budget proposal, which includes $2 billion of funding for infrastructure across the state.
Callender is thrilled with projects. He helped secure $5 million for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to help create a wing for educational programming.
"You go to the Rock Hall and you see what a wonderful institution it is — that can be a weighing factor in whether Cleveland is the city you choose to come to or not," the lawmaker added.
Some conservatives disagree. Greg Lawson with the Buckeye Institute thinks the state is spending way too much.
"I think it's better for the state if we can find ways to use that money to make the overall economic system more competitive for all businesses," Lawson said.
He believes that the money should go toward tax reform instead of community projects.
"Those are things where local residents, local taxpayers have every right to make decisions at the local level about what they want to have it spent on," he added.
Click here to read the fiscal analysis of H.B. 2 so far.
NEO county funds
Cuyahoga County is set to receive $42,450,000.
Some of the major investments made into Cuyahoga include:
- Cuyahoga County Northcoast Connector — 20M
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum Expansion and Renovation Project — 5M
- Cleveland Women’s Soccer Stadium — 1M
This would be a pro women's soccer center. Currently, Cleveland doesn't have National Women’s Soccer League — but it seems the city and state want to change that.
- Flats River Development — 3.5M
- West Side Market in Cleveland — 1.4M
- Irishtown Bend Park — 1M
Geauga: $405,000
Lake: $2,315,328
Lorain: $4,300,000
Medina: $5,747,834
Portage: $2,773,950
Sandusky: $1,000,000
Stark: $7,000,000
Summit: $15,000,000
News 5 broke the news Tuesday that the long-awaited pedestrian land bridge to connect downtown Cleveland to Lake Erie would get $20 million.
RELATED: Ohio lawmakers propose $20 million for Cleveland land bridge connecting downtown to Lake Erie
Appropriations
That wasn’t the only thing H.B. 2 would do.
Universities around the area would get millions:
University of Akron: $16,937,372
Cleveland State: $15,779,731
Kent State: $29,149,650
NEOMED: $1,586,087
The vast majority of the money is earmarked for statewide projects. The lawmakers proposed a jail funding program, funded with $250 million to construct and renovate facilities.
"It's very good for the economy and these really are transformational projects that are going to help build other businesses around them," Callender said.
The bill now goes over to the Senate, where it is likely to change significantly.
Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.
