Statehouse News Bureau

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Senate Passes Budget Unanimously

By Karen Kasler

Published June 20, 2019 at 9:24 PM EDT

The Ohio Senate, with President Larry Obhof speaking for the budget on the floor. A few minutes later the Senate unanimously voted in favor of that budget. [Karen Kasler / Statehouse News Bureau] — The Ohio Senate, with President Larry Obhof speaking for the budget on the floor. A few minutes later the Senate unanimously voted in favor of that budget.

For the first time in 12 years, a two-year state operating budget has passed the full Ohio Senate without a single “no” vote. That sends the $69 billion spending plan to a conference committee to work out conflicts between the House and Senate versions of the spending plan.

Finance Chair Matt Dolan (R-Chagrin Falls) said children and families, education, the environment and local government were the Senate’s priorities. And he defended the 8 percent income tax cut and the restoration of the $250,000 small business income tax deduction – a $700 million tax cut.

“We’re saying the best investment is to return your money, to return the money to small businesses that are the lifeblood of our economy here in Ohio," Dolan said.

But in spite of their concerns, all nine Democrats voted for the budget. Sen. Vernon Sykes (D-Akron) said there was compromise and good things in the budget – but also bad things.

“The across the board tax cut that really is unnecessary. We don’t need to do this at this particular time,” Sykes said.

The unanimous vote, the first for a budget in the Senate since 2007, sends the budget to the conference committee – its members will be named next week. The budget must be signed into law by June 30.