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State lawmakers reach deal to patch budget

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By Laura A. Bischoff, Staff Writer Updated 10:48 PM Thursday, December 17, 2009

COLUMBUS — State lawmakers on Thursday, Dec. 17, agreed on a deal to patch an $851 million hole in the budget and avert massive cuts to 600 school districts serving 1.8 million students.

“I think this is a victory for Ohio. I think it’s a victory for our schools,” Gov. Ted Strickland said.

The agreement delays a 4.2 percent income tax rate cut — scheduled to take effect this year — until 2011. Ohioans will pay $851 million more in income taxes over the next two years. For a family of four making $60,000 a year it means $78 that won’t be cut from their annual state income tax bill.

The budget compromise also changes how local school districts can get a waiver from the mandate to provide all-day kindergarten beginning next fall. Instead of applying directly to the state for a waiver, school boards may pass a resolution justifying why it isn’t feasible and then get a state waiver.

Roughly 60 percent of Ohio’s 613 school districts currently offer all-day kindergarten, state officials said.

And the deal calls for the state to take a step toward changing the way it bids public construction projects for the first time in 132 years. Currently, all projects over $50,000 must use multiple prime contractors for mechanical, electrical, plumbing and general trades work, which can lead to delays and cost over runs, and all the design work has to be done first.

The bill endorses three pilot projects — one small, one medium and one large — that allow alternate methods of construction bidding. The Ohio Board of Regents in consultation with the Inter-University Council will pick the projects.

Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee told lawmakers that construction reform would shave 20 percent to 30 percent off project costs. OSU’s $1 billion medical center expansion project could be a candidate for one of the pilots.

The GOP-controlled Senate voted 17-15 in favor of the plan and the House agreed to Senate changes on a 54-42 vote. Strickland said he’ll sign the bill into law as soon as possible.

Contact this reporter at (614)224-1624 or lbischoff@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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