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Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio voters approve Issue 2, allowing state to borrow $2.5B for infrastructure
May 6—Ohio voters approved a state constitutional amendment Tuesday to allow the state to issue up to $2.5 billion in bonds for infrastructure improvements. The Associated Press declared Issue 2 victorious before 9 p.m. Tuesday. As of 8:48 p.m. the measure was passing with 67.5% of the vote and over 30% of statewide precincts reporting, according to the Ohio Secretary of State's office. "Ohioans understand that our local roads and bridges and other basic infrastructure need ongoing improvement," said Sam Rossi, spokesman for pro-Issue 2 campaign the Strong Ohio Communities Coalition. "Our campaign was bolstered by strong bipartisan support from Ohio's elected lawmakers and a broad nonpartisan coalition that included leaders on behalf of business, labor, agriculture, transportation, public safety and local governments. There was no formal opposition to Issue 2. Issue 2 is a request from the state in the form of a constitutional amendment to issue up to $2.5 billion in bonds to help pay for local infrastructure projects over the next decade. Approval on May 6 would amend the Ohio Constitution, as the state generally needs constitutional approval in order to go into large amounts of debt. The bonds, if approved by a simple majority of voters, would go toward the State Capital Improvement Program and could only be used on roads, bridges, water treatment and supply systems and solid waste disposal facilities, according to the legislature's nonpartisan analysis. The state first issued a lump sum of general obligation bonds to fund SCIP in 1987. The approach has been approved by voters thrice since. The pending approval would be the biggest in state history, which lawmakers said was necessary due to inflation driving up the cost of projects. According to Ohio Public Works Commission Director Linda Bailiff, this bond approach has proven to be a successful, responsive way for local governments to make headway on infrastructure projects. "About 18,860 projects have been funded since the program's inception," Bailiff told lawmakers late last year. "Depending on the year, for every $1 of program funds another $2 to $3 is leveraged in other local, state, and federal sources." The state government has gone back to voters three times for permission to issue more general obligation bonds, most recently in 2014, says information from the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland. Supporters say the state capital improvements program does not increase taxes, generally has bipartisan approval and reduces pressure on local jurisdictions to raise taxes for infrastructure improvements. The AP says that under the measure, up to $250 million of the total general obligation bonds authorized can be issued each year over 10 years, creating an estimated 35,000 construction jobs.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What is Issue 2 on Ohio's May 6 ballot?
(WJW) — The only statewide issue up to Ohio voters in the May 6 primary election would allow the state to continue issuing bonds to fund major infrastructure projects at the local level. Issue 2 would amend the Ohio Constitution to allow the state to issue general obligation bonds to help local governments pay for capital improvement projects like roads and bridges, wastewater treatment systems, storm water management and more through the State Capital Improvement Program. How to vote early in Ohio's May 6 primary election The issue does not levy a new tax on Ohioans, since bonds are part of state budget planning, according to the sponsoring lawmakers. But Ohioans' tax dollars would continue to pay down the debts incurred by local governments that take advantage of the program, according to the Ohio Ballot Board. The new debts could take up to 30 years to repay. The program itself is nothing new. Ohio voters first approved it in 1987 and re-approved it through three separate constitutional amendments since then — the most recent in 2014. The last amendment will sunset on July 1. The upcoming issue also raises the annual limit for state-issued bonds from $200 million to $250 million, or $2.5 billion over the amendment's 10-year authorization. The program started out at $120 million per year. The program has funded nearly 19,000 projects since it began and each dollar funded by the program typically leverages $2 to $3, Linda Bailiff, director of the Ohio Public Works Commission, testified before a Senate committee in November, in favor of the resolution to create the ballot issue. Cleveland voters to cast ballots at new voting locations The project review committee administering the program awarded the city of Cleveland more than $9 million in 2024 and about $8 million in 2023, according to James DeRosa, director of the Mayor's Office of Capital Projects. 'This represents a significant source of funding for the city to address aged infrastructure while facing the challenges of uncertain revenue streams and ever-rising project costs,' he testified before the Senate committee in November, also in favor of the resolution. The issue was added to the primary election ballot through a bipartisan joint resolution adopted in the last General Assembly, which saw near-unanimous support in both chambers. The measure can be approved with a simple majority vote. A vote for 'yes' on the May 6 ballot is a vote to renew the 38-year-old program for another 10 years. A 'no' vote is a vote not to renew the program. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
03-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
Explaining Ohio Issue 2, a $2.5B infrastructure program
Local voters will consider several issues and candidates in the May 6 primary, but there's also one item that will be put before every Ohio voter: State Issue 2. Why it matters: If approved, it will authorize the state to allocate $2.5 billion over 10 years to fund public infrastructure projects like bridges, roads, sewers and water lines. The State Capital Improvement Program first started in 1987 and voters have renewed it about every decade since then, most recently in 2014. How it works: The program is funded with bonds, meaning your property tax bill won't change regardless of the result. Local governments request grants and a committee of local officials reviews them. Approved projects are then sent to the Ohio Public Works Commission, which administers the program. Grants can fund a portion of a local project or nearly the entire thing, and the commission also offers zero-interest loans. Follow the money: The program currently disperses up to $200 million annually. A successful Issue 2 would up the yearly amount to $250 million. "Even at $250 million, there will still be projects left on the table" due to the demand, commission director Linda Bailiff tells Axios. Zoom in: The State Capital Improvement Program has supported nearly 4,500 projects over the past 10 years in all 88 counties. Some examples in Franklin County: Widening Hamilton Road (a nearly $4 million grant), adding curb ramps to Columbus intersections (over $1.1 million) and repairing the Hayden Run Road bridge over the Scioto River (over $400,000). In Cuyahoga County, top projects have included replacing Pleasant Valley Road bridges in Independence ($6.2 million) and working on a new Lakewood treatment plant ($3 million). Between the lines: After authorizing the ballot item, lawmakers also allocated $15 million to reimburse county boards of elections for the costs of hosting the special election. After approving the State Capital Improvement Program in 1987 with a 71% vote, voters have renewed it with 62%, 54% and 65% support. What's next: Monday is the last day to register to vote. Early voting begins Tuesday. View the schedule and your sample ballot. 🤔 Where's Issue 1? You might be wondering what Issue 1 is after learning about Issue 2. Yes, but: There isn't one this year, and there won't be one again for a long time. Catch up quick: Last year, the state legislature changed the statewide ballot numbering system. The numbers previously reset every year. Issues will now be numbered sequentially until we reach Issue 500. Then they'll reset back to Issue 1. Between the lines: This should relieve campaign confusion and make it easier for voters to research the issues.
