If it seems Ohio’s capital budget has been unusually quiet this winter, you’re not imagining things. Lawmakers had slammed the brakes on the capital planning process, spooked by one issue that’s been haunting the Statehouse: property taxes.
After months of pressure, protests and political anxiety, Gov. Mike DeWine has now signed a bundle of property-tax changes that legislative leaders say finally make it safe to move forward. That matters because the capital budget is the pot of money that pays for the visible stuff — fixing parks and college buildings, restoring historic theaters, extending bike paths and backing local arts projects across the state.
The delay wasn’t about procrastination so much as fear. Lawmakers were staring down a possible ballot amendment to abolish property taxes entirely, massive uncertainty over Medicaid and nursing home payments, and the risk of committing billions just as the ground shifted under Ohio’s finances. At one point, the House speaker was openly wondering if there would even be a capital budget this year…