State legislators and Athens County residents were united in disapproval of Gov. John Kasich’s proposed Jobs Budget 2.0 Monday night at the Athens Community Center.
Politicians, citizens and government employees expressed their concerns for changes made to education funding, welfare and taxes in the governor’s proposed 2014-2015 budget, at a town hall meeting hosted by the nonprofit organization, One Ohio Now.
Though the governor’s budget would cut income taxes, Sen. Lou Gentile, D-30 Steubenville, said that other proposed tax increases including the severance tax would effectively hurt the middle class, while giving an undeserved amount of extra income to Ohio’s wealthiest citizens.
With $191 million cuts being made to state cash-assistance programs, Ohio’s lower class will also hurt from Jobs Budget 2.0, said Jack Frech, director of the Athens County Department of Jobs and Family Services.
“I dare you to find other government entities that have had reductions like that,” Frech said. “I think it speaks volumes as to how little commitment they have to jobs and families.”
The governor’s budget will not only hurt those in the private sector, because public services like education will also see cuts in state funding, said Rep. Debbie Phillips, D-94 Albany.
“(The budget will) cut us back to pre-2005 funding levels on a per pupil basis,” Phillips said. “There have got to be major changes made to this school funding formula.”
Cuts to education will not only burden K-12 schools, but also Ohio’s cities and universities, including Ohio University, said Renée Middleton, Dean of OU’s Patton College of Education.
Beñjamin Bushwick, a junior at OU studying psychology of sustainability, agreed with Middleton’s concerns about education.
“It’s really about sowing the seeds of a better future,” Bushwick said. “A lot of people that spoke stated that there is a crisis or something that isn’t right. Education is going to be a way out of it."
sh335311@ohiou.edu
