Gongwer Staff
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By Gongwer Staff
Posted: October 9, 2022 6:46 PM
Restoration of the Local Government Fund remains a top priority of the state's cities and villages.
The Ohio Municipal League on Monday laid out its preferences for the upcoming two-year state operating budget, and restoring the LGF to 3.68% from its current level of 1.67% was among them.
The group noted the state has a strong Budget Stabilization Fund and has experienced tax collections that have exceeded expectations.
"In light of the robust financial position of the state, we believe now is the time for the state to reinvest in local governments and restore – to its full funding – this critical partnership between the state and its local partners," OML wrote.
On the public safety front, the group is asking for more funding for the storage of data from body-worn cameras utilized by law enforcement and financial assistance to comply with new programming requirements for all MARCS radios used by police and fire departments.
New radios cost about $3,300 per unit, according to OML.
The group is also calling on lawmakers to pony up funding for police training. Gov. Mike DeWine in August also called for the General Assembly to establish a dedicated source of funding for police training in its next budget. (See Gongwer Ohio Report, August 4, 2022)
The most recent operating budget (HB 110) contained language allowing the attorney general's office to create and administer a one-year pilot program for state funding of the training of peace officers. It earmarked $15 million for that purpose.
More than 800 agencies representing 27,293 officers received training through the program, according to the AG's office.
It also included a provision to create a Law Enforcement Training Funding Study Commission.
OML also has a host of requests in the area of infrastructure and development, including a permanent source of funding for brownfields and demolitions and dollars for water and sewer projects, broadband expansion and roads and bridges.
The latter would likely be addressed through the two-year transportation budget, as would OML's request for more money directed at public transit and its call for the state to take over maintenance responsibilities for state routes that traverse through municipal boundaries.
The group is also asking for:
Its final request is for lawmakers to include no preemptions or unfunded mandates in the two-year spending outline.
"With Ohio currently being in a strong financial position, we have a great opportunity to continue strengthening the partnership between the state and its municipalities," OML Board President Patrick Titterington, who serves as city director in Troy, said in a statement. "The Ohio Municipal League's priorities for the state operating budget cover a robust list of policy issues that are both helpful and essential to the infrastructure, programs and services provided through municipal government."