Ohio Governor Mike DeWine visited Perrysburg on Tuesday, February 4, to promote priorities outlined in his executive budget proposal for state fiscal years 2026-2027. The proposal includes targeted support for Ohio's children, communities and workforce.
In Perrysburg, Governor DeWine visited the YMCA Child Development Center at Owens Community College to tour the facility and discuss how giving families access to affordable, quality childcare stimulates the state’s workforce and economy. The center serves families who are eligible for support through Ohio's Childcare Choice Voucher Program, which continues to be a priority in the governor’s new budget proposal.
“For far too many working parents, finding affordable and quality childcare has become difficult,” said DeWine. “It is time that we help families lift this burden and create a stronger workforce in Ohio.”
To further support Ohio's families, the governor is also proposing a Child Tax Credit that would give qualifying working parents a refundable credit of up to $1,000 per year for each child through age six.
In addition to creating improved access to childcare, the executive budget proposal will continue to invest in children by:
•Creating a new vision services program, OhioSEE. The program would ensure students who fail vision screenings in kindergarten through third grade receive comprehensive eye exams and glasses, if needed.
•Expanding the number of school-based health centers in high-need counties and providing resources and technical support to these health centers across the state.
•Continuing investments in the science of reading by supporting literacy coaches in schools, requiring schools with low rates of proficient readers to focus more funding on literacy support.
Governor DeWine’s twoday budget tour also included visits to Zanesville High School; the Dayton Development Coalition Annual Meeting and Economic Review; and the University of Cincinnati, as he promoted the following proposals:
•Creating a grant program to help more schools launch driver training programs.
•Having all state colleges and universities in Ohio develop and implement a meaningful, at-scale, workbased learning program— which could be a co-op, internship or externship.
DeWine’s executive budget has been applauded by both the American Heart Association and the County Commissioners Association of Ohio (CCAO).
“Governor DeWine’s budget proposal prioritizes the health of Ohioans, as he has continually done during his term,” said Dustin Holfinger, government relations director for the American Heart Association.
The association points to the following proposals included in the budget, which align with their own policy platform:
•Maintain the proposed increase to the tobacco excise tax of $1.50/pack.
•Maintain the proposed increase to the Other Tobacco Products Tax (from 17% to 42%) which will ensure those products are taxed at the same level as cigarettes.
•Maintain his proposed increase to the Vapor Tax (from 10 cents/mL to 20 cents/mL).
“CCAO is deeply grateful for Governor DeWine’s continued support of county government,” CCAO President David Painter said. “This administration understands the challenges county governments face and has invested in the state-county partnership, including in this proposal. The governor’s budget plan will further enhance this partnership, providing valuable support to counties as they deliver vital programs and services to Ohioans.”
CCAO’s top priorities for this budget cycle are bolstering Ohio’s child welfare system, reforming and fully funding the indigent defense system, supporting county jail construction and renovation, continuing the rollout of NG 9-1-1 and increasing access to child care.
DeWine’s budget also includes investments to:
•Encourage Ohioans to keep their talents in Ohio as they forge careers in the most in-demand job industries.
•Support Ohio’s law enforcement agencies with investments in more efficient and reliable emergency services and accessible, affordable training.
•Protect and improve water quality throughout Ohio.
For more information on Governor DeWine's biennial executive budget proposal, visit governor.ohio.gov.
