Several local projects in line for money from Ohio's $700 million 'super duper fund'

Several projects in Tuscarawas County — from a new cancer center at Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital to a burn building at Buckeye Career Center to train first responders — are lined up to get a piece of a $700 million pie that state lawmakers are dishing out.

"We are talking about an extraordinary amount of money," said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls. "I'm hoping that these are transformational dollars, and we look at these projects as what will have the greatest impact."

It's so much money that it's colloquially referred to as "the Super Duper Fund."

Ohio is sitting on $700 million in cash thanks to a federal funding tsunami during the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal money surged into the economy led to higher revenues pouring into the state coffers. The Ohio House and Ohio Senate agreed that each chamber would decide how $350 million would be spent.

The Ohio House recently voted 75-19 in favor of House Bill 2, which includes $7 million for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, $22 million for the Hamilton County Convention Center District Development, $13.75 million for the Cincinnati Open Tennis Tournament and $12.5 million for upgrades to the Transportation Research Center in East Liberty.

But it's far from a done deal.

Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, issued a terse statement that House leaders broke from the normal process of negotiating with the Senate on this big spending bill.

Huffman signaled that the Senate wouldn't be rushed.

He said he expects the two chambers to agree on a capital budget and how to spend the project money by early June.

Local projects include:

• $2.5 million to renovate a number of Tuscarawas County public facilities, delivering safe and secure access to county services.

• $250,000 to rehabilitate the Norma Johnson Center in Dover Township, fostering opportunities for outdoor recreation and exploration.

• $250,000 to create the new Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital Cancer Center, ensuring patients receive the most appropriate care. "We appreciate the Ohio House of Representatives’ recognition of the project as worthy of support," said Dr. Thomas Rogers, president of Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital. "This project will modernize radiation therapy equipment and help Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital continue to provide high quality cancer care to the residents of the Tuscarawas Valley."

• $100,000 to construct a burn building at Buckeye Career Center in New Philadelphia with the purpose of training, equipping first responders to serve their communities and increasing public safety. The project will also be used to train Buckeye students who will be attending the career center's new fire/EMT course, which begins this fall, said Superintendent Bob Alsept. Ground will be broken for the facility later this year, and it could be in use in 2024. According to the superintendent, 15 students have already signed up for the class. The school is still accepting applications.

• $163,098 to upgrade the heating and air conditioning system at Kent State University at Tuscarawas in New Philadelphia.

Laura Bischoff 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. Gannett reporter Jon Baker contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Tuscarawas County projects could benefit from $700M 'super duper fund'