GOVERNOR SIGNS CAPITOL BUDGET BILL
COLUMBUS (December 13, 2002) - Governor Bob Taft today signed the FY 03-04
Capitol Budget Bill, which included all the funding he had requested for the
Third Frontier Project and the School Facilities Commission.
The Governor requested and received $50 Million for the Third Frontier Project,
his high-tech, high-paying jobs initiative. The money will be allocated to the
Wright Brothers Capital Fund, which will award competitive grants to assist
in the creation of globally competitive research centers focused on new product
development and commercialization efforts within the state.
Taft also won inclusion of $249,200,000 for the School Facilities Commission,
which will be used to continue his $10-billion, 12-year "Rebuilding Ohio's
Schools Initiative." Since May 2000, the program has:
· Received appropriations of more than $1.9 billion (FY 01, 02, 03, &
04);
· Disbursed over $1.78 billion (May 2000 to November 2002);
· Implemented the following construction programs: Accelerated Urban
Initiative, Emergency Assistance Program, Federal Emergency Repair Program,
and Hardship Loan Program;
· Expanded the Expedited Local Partnership Program from a 15-district
pilot program to a full program with current participation of over 250 districts;
· Expanded the Exceptional Need Program from a pilot to a full program;
· Developed a system of professional consultants to assist districts
in developing plans for the maintenance of their buildings;
· Completed the construction or renovation of over 140 buildings;
· Finished full-district projects in 44 districts.
Currently nearly $2.5 million is spent every day on school construction and
repair.
The Governor exercised line-item vetoes for unintentional prevailing wage language
and a drafting error under Youngstown State University's line items.
The bill, titled House Bill 675, was sponsored by state Representative Chuck
Calvert (R-Medina) and makes capital appropriations, modifies other appropriations
for the biennium ending June 30, 2004, and provides authorization and conditions
for the operation of state programs. The bill authorizes capital appropriations
for State Fiscal Years 2003 and 2004. The appropriations are effective immediately
and most language provisions become effective 90 days upon the Governor's signature
and filing with the Secretary of State.
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Contact: Joe Andrews, Governor's Office, at (614) 644-0957.