South Ohio News

The Ohio House of Representatives has approved Substitute House Bill 2, the state's two-year construction budget for capital projects. State Representative Mark Johnson (R-Chillicothe) announced the passage of the bill today.

The Veterans Administration Memorial Stadium, home of the Chillicothe Paints, will receive $500,000 in capital funding to replace its 17-year-old turf field and restore the outfield wall and seating. Johnson emphasized his commitment to securing funding for communities in the 92nd House District.

"I will always work to bring funding back to communities in the 92nd House District," said Johnson. "These projects will rejuvenate the historic V.A. Memorial Stadium and support our ongoing efforts to bring more workforce opportunities and healthcare accessibility to our area."

Johnson also secured one-time funding from the Strategic Community Investment Fund for several local projects:

- $500,000 to expand the Perry County Community Access and Workforce Training Center, enhancing healthcare and job training access.

- $5 million for constructing the Hopewell Regional Visitor Center, promoting Ohio’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

"While everything I advocated for did not make it into the final version of the Capital Budget, I will continue my work to support our businesses and communities," added Johnson.

The legislation includes additional statewide investments:

- $600 million for the School Building Program Assistance Fund.

- $400 million for the Public Works Commission Local Public Infrastructure and State Capital Improvement Program.

- $397.6 million for higher education projects across Ohio.

The Strategic Community Investment Fund was established in last year's main operating budget. Due to conservative fiscal management, these funds were allocated to various forward-moving projects in addition to traditional capital budget items.

Substitute House Bill 2 now awaits a signature from the Ohio Governor.