Voters to decide whether to renew state funding program in May primary
Ohio voters will decide whether to renew a constitutional amendment allowing the state to issue bonds for two programs which provide funding for local infrastructure projects.
Ohio’s May 6 primary may not have federal or statewide candidates on the ballot, but it will give voters a choice on whether to renew an initiative used to fund local infrastructure projects.
Every 10 years, Ohioans vote on a constitutional amendment to allow the state to issue bonds in two programs that benefit transportation and capital improvement projects for municipalities. The State Capital Improvement Program (SCIP) allows the state to issue bonds to support infrastructure improvements to transportation and water infrastructure, as well as solid waste disposal facilities. The Local Transportation Improvement Program (LTIP) uses less than 1% of the state’s annual gasoline tax receipts to support road and bridge projects.
According to the ballot language, the amendment will allow the state to issue $250 million in bonds for SCIP and LTIP projects each year for the next 10 years for a total of $2.5 billion. That’s an increase from the $200 million per year from 2022 to 2026 under the most recently passed renewal.
Both SCIP and LTIP are managed by the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC). SCIP was first created in 1987 and has been renewed four times, most recently in 2014 with 65% of the vote.
Oxford has received SCIP funding for several projects in the past decade. In 2019, OPWC paid for 79% of a $281,000 contract for work on a High Street water main and railroad bore project, completed in summer 2020. OPWC again paid 79% of a $393,000 contract in 2022 for brick surface repairs to Main Street and most recently paid 59% of a $101,000 contract for a Kehr Road culvert replacement last summer.
In 2019, $151,800 in LTIP funding helped cover some of the expenses for a Chestnut Street and College Avenue signalization project in Oxford.
According to OPWC, funding from SCIP has gone toward 75 projects in Butler County since fiscal year 2017. In addition to money to individual municipalities, that includes 11 projects through the Southwest Regional Water District and 25 projects through the county itself.
Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by May 5, and polls will be open May 6 from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. Early in-person voting at the Board of Elections began April 8, and the final days of early voting will be 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. May 2; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 3; and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. May 4.
