State Legislatures Set to Tackle Budget

In the next month Governor John Kasich plans to introduce his biennium budget bill.

State Legislatures will then have the tax of sorting through the over three thousand page document in order to balance the proposed $60 billion dollar budget before July 1.

“It’s very difficult. The budget is the biggest piece of legislation we do,” explained Republican Senator of the 20th District Troy Balderson. “It’s very important we reach out as legislatures to our communities.”

Senator Balderson said there’s a lot incorporated into the budget including Medicaid and education. Representative Brian Hill said they’ll also pay close attention to the governor’s plan to increase the severance tax that will affect the oil and gas industry. He’ll also look at the proposal decreasing the income tax.

“For our area of the state there’s a benefit to having those jobs that come along with the oil and gas industry. So we need to watch what that process is,” said Republican Representative Brian Hill of the 97th District. “The governor’s going to want to continue to decrease the income tax which is a great thing to do away with income tax, but when we do that we have to be careful what we’re trading off and what revenue source will increase to make sure that happens.”

Senator Balderson said if there’s funds he would like to see more money put into economic development and discuss small business taxes.