The legislature's scheduled conference committee on the budget voted last night and INCLUDED an amedment offered by Senator Matt Dolan that will provide a long-term fix for the loss of revenue generated by the soon-to-be-rescinded MCO sales tax. Acceptance of the amendment is a significant victory for the state's public transit systems and the millions of people who depend upon them each and every day. We are pleased that the legislature recognized the important role transit plays in the lives of so many Ohioans.
The amendment directs the Kasich administration to ask the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reset the new managed care franchise fee the agency approved earlier. If CMS okays the change the fee will generate an additional $207 million in revenue per year between now and July 1, 2024. The amendment directs the administration to distribute the proceeds to the state's counties and transit agencies.
The House and Senate will vote on the Conference Committee Report today and send it to the Governor for signature. He will have until July 1 to act, including issuing line-item vetoes of provisions he opposes.
Stay tuned for additional communications on this issue as we continue to lobby the Governor's office.
Meanwhile we continue to talk to the administration on fixes for the reduction of funding for the Office of Public Transit.
We encourage all OPTA members and friends/supporters of public transit to reach out to Senator Dolan and Representative Bill Seitz to THANK them for their work on the MCO sales tax fix. To contact Senator Dolan call (614) 466-8056 or email him by clicking here. To contact Rep. Seitz call (614) 466-8258 or email him by clicking here.