The 2024 election isn’t even over, but two lawmakers are making plans for an issue on next spring’s ballot. A bipartisan proposal is coming to ask voters to renew a program that allows the state to issue bonds for local infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges.
The State Capital Improvement Program expires next July and must be renewed via constitutional amendment. This time the state will ask for authorization to borrow $2.5 billion over 10 years. That's an increase over the current cap. In 2014, voters approved a cap of $175 million for the first five years and $200 million for the second five years.
“We've seen the price increases, supply chain issues, the materials, etc., so that at least is necessary," said Rep. Dan Troy (D-Willowick), one of the original co-sponsors of the public works program in 1987, when it was known as Issue 2. "This will be paid through state general obligation bonds. There is no tax increase involved here."
“We have to make it very clear, no, this does not involve your local property taxes, this does not involve your local income taxes and obviously, there certainly has been no pattern in state government as related to any tax rates going up," Troy added.
The State Capital Improvement Program has been renewed three times by voters and has distributed 19,000 in grants and loans. The lawmakers said the renewal could create 35,000 construction jobs.
"Over the years I've been approached by, many times, very small governments, lifetime township trustees who have shared with me in the tough times for them that this funding was sometimes the only funding they would have in their political subdivisions for roads, bridges, water and sewer systems," said Rep. Scott Oelslager (R-North Canton), who also co-sponsored the initial resolution creating the program in 1987.
Troy said the public works program has always tried to emphasize using this money to repair and replace local infrastructure instead of building big new projects.
“The big thing about this program from the beginning has been there's been a real emphasis on repair and replacement. Let's fix it first," Troy said. "This is not for a lot of new infrastructure, new highway projects. This is to try and address some of those things that have happened, fall into deterioration and other things over the years.”
Lawmakers would need to approve it for the May 2025 ballot. Troy said he hopes this will come up in the lame duck session after the election, noting the deadline for the May ballot is February. Because that May vote will not be a statewide election, the proposal also would provide $15 million to county boards of elections to cover the costs of that statewide special election.
While voters have approved this public works program every time it's been on the ballot, that wasn't the case for another statewide bond program. The Third Frontier, which was targeted at high tech development, just barely failed for renewal in 2003, but then in 2005 was approved by 54% of voters. This ballot issue doesn't include the Third Frontier.
