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This week on "The State of Ohio": State lawmakers consider what they can do in the wake of the horrible and yet miraculous escape story out of Cleveland involving three women held prisoner in a house for a decade. New data shows more than half of all violent crimes are committed by a very small numbers of offenders. Lawmakers are now working to target that tiny group. And more thoughts on legislation that would dramatically change rules on unions in Ohio.
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| Long awaited $1.5 billion capital improvements budget passes House. |
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By Karen Kasler - January 26, 2005 |
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The one and a half billion dollar capital improvements budget bill easily passed the Ohio House today, but not without some spirited discussion about how to spend the state's money. Minority leader Chris Redfern, a Democrat of Catawba Island along Lake Erie, urged tax reform to be discussed with an eye on the middle class.
Several amendments were offered, from Republicans and Democrats, including one from Republican Tom Brinkman of Cincinnati. His would move 90 million dollars for local projects that he called “pork” into the Clean Ohio fund, established in 2000.
That amendment was tabled, and the budget passed with $50 million dollars for the Clean Ohio program, about half of what backers wanted. Schools will get 542 million dollars in construction money in the budget, and colleges and universities will receive $489 million dollars. There are 23 million dollars in the budget for parks, and 2.5 million dollars to cover costs from flooding and the late December ice and snow storm. |
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House Minority Leader Chris Redfern (D-Catawba Island) (:22) 
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Tom Brinkman Jr. (R-Cincinnati) (:21)
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