Assistant Minority Leader Debbie Phillips FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JUNE 27, 2013 Contact: John Calhoun, Legislative Aide (614) 466-2158 State Rep. Debbie Phillips Votes Against Budget that Prioritizes Millionaires but Leaves Middle- Class Families Behind COLUMBUS- The Ohio House of Representatives voted this afternoon to approve the state’s two year operating budget, Sub. HB 59. The budget puts millionaires first, while raising taxes on the middle class and continuing to hurt our school and communities. The final budget fails to address Medicaid expansion for hundreds of thousands of working poor throughout Ohio. After the vote, Rep. Phillips released the following statement. “This budget sets the wrong priorities for Ohio and demonstrates a profound failure of leadership by both Governor Kasich and the legislative majority." “It favors millionaires at the expense of the middle class." “It forces government into the most private and difficult decisions a woman can face." “It provides more funding to the failed charter school and school voucher experiment in Ohio at the expense of good public schools and innocent children across Ohio." “It takes the money Governor Kasich cut from our local communities two years ago, and uses it to pay for the first year or so of a tax giveaway to the wealthiest Ohioans." “And it fails abjectly in a simple, humane, and business-backed effort to improve healthcare access in Ohio." “Medicaid provides for well-baby check-ups and for basic healthcare for children. It provides care in nursing homes, and in the homes of our seniors and disabled Ohioans through waiver programs. And the expansion would cover 275,000 Ohioans, including 26,000 veterans. It would help control costs by moving healthcare out of the ER and into primary care doctor’s offices. It would help small businesses control their costs and hire more people. The Governor says he wants the expansion. House Democrats brought a discharge petition, which could force a vote on Medicaid. Governor Kasich, if he really wants to get this done can get the signatures, order us into session, and get this done. We should take the vote, not a vacation.” Democratic members of the Ohio House pulled a discharge petition today before session in an effort to move Medicaid expansion – House Bill 176 – directly to the floor for a vote. They called on Gov. Kasich to help get the Republican signatures necessary to ensure the budget reflects the priorities of Ohioans and provides commonsense healthcare to those in need. -30-
Posted on: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 21:49:05 +0000
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