Ohio county developmental‑disability boards ask senators to remove budget language that would let county budget commissions cut voter‑approved levies

The Ohio Association of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities told senators that newly inserted language in the substitute budget bill would give county budget commissions broad authority to reduce millage on voter‑approved levies and could jeopardize reserves that support lifetime services for people with developmental disabilities.

Why it matters: County boards of DD said local property taxes fund a large share of the state Medicaid match for DD services and that vague language using terms like “reasonably necessary or prudent” would remove protections against considering statutory reserve accounts when determining acceptable resource levels.

Adam Herman, speaking for the association, asked the committee to remove the language from the budget and adopt amendment SC 2,924; as an alternative he proposed a compromise amendment (3,079‑1) to exempt local entities that are statutorily required to pay part or all of the state Medicaid match from the provision. “We believe this provision should be removed entirely,” he said.

Herman told senators that county boards currently cover roughly half of the state’s Medicaid match for those services and cited projected increases in the local share in upcoming fiscal years. He warned that arbitrary limits on those local funding sources could either jeopardize services for people with developmental disabilities or force the state to replace the lost local match.

The association asked the Senate either to strike the new section from the budget or to adopt the exemption amendment to protect county boards and the services they fund.