Governor Ted Strickland announced $733 million in budget cuts this week. The cuts will be accomplished by reducing state headcount by 1,500 to 2,700, closing two mental health institutions and reducing various state agency budgets.
The governor indicated that he will protect recent manufacturer-led tax reform implementation. Protected from the cuts will be universities, children’s health care programs and local school foundation funding. If these cuts prove insufficient to cover revenue shortfalls over the biennium, the state’s Rainy Day Fund will be tapped.
Some items proposed will require passage of a reappropriations bill by the General Assembly.
