Ohio lawmakers approve $4.2 billion capital budget. Where will the money go?

Erin Glynn and Haley BeMiller, Columbus Dispatch
Updated ·2 min read
The capital budget includes $196.4 million for the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds 2050 Project.
The capital budget includes $196.4 million for the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds 2050 Project.
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A $3.5 billion budget is headed to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's desk for approval.

Ohio lawmakers approved the budget during the legislative session on Wednesday. It includes money for state buildings, parks, state fairgrounds and public universities.

The bill includes both the capital budget and what lawmakers called the "super duper fund," $700 million from increased state tax revenue after Ohio received federal COVID-19 money.

Sen. Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls, said the one-time funding returns money to taxpayers through community projects that would further economic development or improve people's quality of life.

Only one senator, Sen. Niraj Antani, R-Miamisburg, voted against the budget.

Antani criticized the budget before the vote and said the state's spending is unsustainable. He said the $700 million should have been given to Ohioans as tax relief.

Sen. Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, said rather than give each person in Ohio $63, the budget means the legislature is investing in projects that will transform communities.

Five representatives vote against capital budget

Ohio House Reps. Bill Dean, Ron Ferguson, Jennifer Gross, Jena Powell and Bernard Willis voted against the budget.

Rep. Jay Edwards, R-Nelsonville, noted the community interest in pickleball projects. The budget includes over $800,000 for six different pickleball court projects throughout the state.

“I learned one thing throughout this process: I never knew how popular the sport pickleball was," he said.

What projects are in the budget?

Some of the major projects in the budget include:

  • $196.4 million for the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds 2050 Project;

  • $65.3 million for upgrades to Ohio State University;

  • $43 million for upgrades to the University of Cincinnati;

  • $23 million for renovations at Bachelor Hall at Miami University;

  • $17.2 million for upgrades to the University of Akron;

  • $16.9 million for upgrades to Columbus State Community College;

  • $6.9 million in upgrades to Stark State College of Technology;

  • $2 million in upgrades to Nationwide Arena in Columbus;

  • $1.65 million for improvements to the Cincinnati Art Museum;

  • $1.25 million for improvements to the Columbus Museum of Art;

  • $1 million for upgrades to Cincinnati Music Hall.

The legislature also allocated millions to state buildings including:

  • $14 million for Statehouse repairs;

  • More than $3 million to the governor's residence;

  • $26.9 million to renovate the Vern Riffe Center in downtown Columbus;

  • $22 million to the Ohio History Center in Columbus.

To see a full list of the community projects and their funding, click here.

Erin Glynn is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio lawmakers approve capital budget for parks, public universities