Ohio county developmental-disability boards urge removal of budget-commission authority to reduce voter-approved levies

Adam Herman, representing the Ohio Association of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities, told the Senate Finance Committee that sections of HB 96 (705.32–.35) would give county budget commissions broad authority to reduce millage on voter-approved tax levies — except debt levies — if the commission finds it “reasonably necessary or prudent to avoid unnecessary, excessive, or unneeded property tax collections.” Herman said the language is vague and removes a statutory protection barring budget commissions from considering DD board reserve accounts when determining acceptable resource levels on hand.

Herman said county DD boards rely on those voter-approved reserves to fund the state’s Medicaid match for developmental-disability services and that county boards currently pay about half of the state Medicaid match for DD services (he cited figures of $567 million in SFY 2025 and projected higher amounts in following years). He asked the committee to remove the provision entirely or adopt an exemption amendment (3,079-1) to exclude local entities statutorily required to fund the state’s Medicaid match.

Why it matters: The testimony argued the proposed budget language would undermine voter-approved local levies and create fiscal uncertainty for lifetime services that county DD boards provide, including long-term Medicaid commitments.

Ending: Herman requested either deletion of the provision or the compromise amendment exempting county boards of developmental disabilities and similarly obligated local entities from the new reduction authority.