Ohio Office of Budget and Management Releases Capital Budget Fact Sheet for Fiscal Years 2021-2022

Ohio Office of Budget and Management Releases Capital Budget Fact Sheet for Fiscal Years 2021-2022  

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – The approved capital budget, Senate Bill 310, prioritizes the needs of state government, K-12 schools, and higher education institutions, with particular emphasis given to each project’s impact on jobs and economic growth. With the partnership of the DeWine Husted Administration and the Ohio General Assembly, this budget focuses on creating jobs and growing Ohio’s economy. The capital budget includes: 

1. $452 million for higher education projects across Ohio. The Inter-University Council of Ohio and the Ohio Association of Community Colleges delivered a strategic, comprehensive capital funding plan endorsed by each of the state’s public higher education institutions. 

1. $300 million for K-12 schools across Ohio, in addition to the $300 million provided in Senate Bill 4 to improve learning centers for K-12 students. 

1. $10 million for safety grants on Ohio campuses: $5 million for colleges and universities and $5 million for K-12 schools. Grants will be competitive and administered in coordination with the Ohio Department of Public Safety. 

1. $280 million for the Public Works Commission, in addition to the $255 million authorized in Senate Bill 4 to support community and essential services in every region of the state.

1. $62.5 million for the Clean Ohio program, in addition to the $37.5 million appropriated in Senate Bill 4 to restore, protect, and connect Ohio’s important natural and urban places by preserving green space and farmland, improving outdoor recreation, and cleaning up brownfields to encourage redevelopment and revitalize communities. 

1. $95.6 million for renovations at psychiatric hospitals and Ohio’s continued support of community recovery housing and program space for the mentally ill and drug addicted. 

1. $50 million for the construction and renovation of local jails. Grants will be competitively awarded to counties with the greatest need based on the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction’s review of jail inspection data, the ability to improve safety and operations, and with a focus on shared use amongst multiple counties. 

1. $253 million to preserve and protect Ohio’s natural resources and critical infrastructure, such as dams and wastewater treatment facilities. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has an expansive footprint with properties in all 88 counties. Visitors camped more than 10,000 additional nights in 2020 compared to 2019. 

1. $186 million in direct funding for local and regional projects in Ohio’s communities, including: parks, trails, historical and cultural projects of local and state significance, projects at zoos, sports projects, and for construction and renovations for centers providing community services, including mental health and addiction. 

1. $32.9 million for building renovations at developmental centers for home and community living spaces for Ohioans with disabilities throughout the state. The Department of Veterans Services oversees the program. Interested individuals are encouraged to visit www.veteransbonus.ohio.gov for more information.