Ohio House Democrats OK Social Service Funding Increase

Democrats who control the Ohio House have voted to boost funding for food banks and services for children and older adults who may face abuse or neglect. Democrats voted 16-15 early Tuesday to add $91 million worth of additions to the roughly $54 billion budget plan during a meeting of the House Finance Committee. The increase will apply to the state's two-year spending plan. Democrats had wanted to boost funding for child welfare and adult protective services to $50 million each year. In his budget proposal, Strickland eliminated $62 million a year that counties had been receiving to administer the services. Democrats also wanted to increase spending on the state's ailing food banks to $24 million over two years. Strickland had called for a total of $17 million.