WHAT'S AT STAKE?  
Senate's stimulus version cuts $25 billion in state aid; Tell Congress to restore in final bill

Feb. 10, 2009 - Gov. Ted Strickland's budget proposal counts on the use of federal stimulus dollars in significant ways.

In a memo, the governor warned Ohio's Congressional delegation that a failure to restore state aid in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act would likely result in services job loss and service cuts.

Ohio stand to lose $1 billion, including, cuts:

• To health and safety programs that put more Ohioans at risk
• That would result in more than 9,000 jobs lost, further depressing the economy
• That undercut the stimulative effects of infrastructure and other spending in the bill

Impact of the $25 Billion Cut to State General Government Assistance Cut in the
Senate Version of the Economic Recovery Bill
(source: Press Release from the Office of Gov. Ted Strickland)

If the $25 billion in state general government aid is not restored to the economic recovery bill, Ohio could experience:

Basic Needs

• Fewer Ohioans would have access to basic need services such as emergency shelter, food, transportation, clothing, food stamps and Medicaid.

Health Care

• Public health funding would be cut, resulting in the loss of service for 7,000 infants needing immunizations, 4,000 clinical visits for uninsured Ohioans, and 15,000 people managing diabetes.

Child Care

• Child care provider rates would be reduced by 10% or coverage for 8,000 children will be eliminated.

Behavioral Health and Services to Ohioans with Disabilities

• Potential loss of 8,500 jobs.
• 32,655 Ohioans would not receive drug and alcohol addiction services and 130 public employee jobs will be eliminated.
• 51,530 (or 16%) fewer Ohioans would receive mental health services, including abused and neglected children, individuals with bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia, mothers with maternal depression, and people despondent over job loss.
• The elimination of these mental health services would result in 5,200 to 6,500 jobs being cut. If state assistance is restored, 780 jobs could be created.
• The Ohio Department of MR/DD provides services to over 71,000 people.  Without the stimulus there would be a 34% reduction in county funding and the potential loss of 2,000 jobs.

Higher Education

• Without stimulus, over 40% of Ohio’s college students would have to pay increased tuition instead of the current freeze proposed in the state budget.

Seniors

• Alzheimer’s respite care for 1,652 families would be eliminated; and 20 to 30 respite workers will lose their jobs.

Youth Services and Corrections

• Potential loss of 700 additional jobs
• 17,000 youth would not receive services, and more than 300 jobs in the Ohio Department of Youth Services would be impacted.
• 500 jobs would be cut in the Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, above the current targeted 500 positions for reduction, for a total of approximately 1,000 positions.
• Two medium-size correctional facilities could be closed.
• Inmate programming would be eliminated or several reduced, altering rehabilitative opportunities and creating a negative impact on reentry of returning citizens.
• Deterioration of conditions of confinement increasing potential security and legal liabilities.

Natural Resources

• Cuts would diminish essential regulatory functions that protect health and safety of all Ohioans, including dam inspections and dam rehabilitation projects.

[ top ]  

See Related

CALL CONGRESS NOW  

SEND EMAIL OR LETTER

House-Senate negotiations begin; Urge Congress to restore state aid in reconciled stimulus bill

AFSCME launches radio ads to urge support for restoration of Senate's state aid cuts

Call Voinovich Flyer (PDF)

Call Generic Flyer (PDF)