Ohio Governor-Acton Faces Tight Budget Deadline Against Republican Legislature
The new administration has only two months to draft a plan that must survive a legislature controlled by Republicans, with Medicaid and water projects as primary points of contention.
By Talia Bennett ·
Amy Acton will begin work on Ohio’s 2028-2029 executive budget proposal immediately after her January inauguration. The Democratic governor-elect faces a strict deadline to submit her funding plan to the state legislature by March 15. This gives her administration just two months to determine how to finance state agencies and services before lawmakers take control of the process.
Acton must negotiate with a General Assembly where Republicans retain majorities in both chambers, despite losing seats in the recent election. She will rely on Democrats in both houses to find common ground with the GOP leadership. The slim majority for Republicans complicates their ability to pass legislation without broader support. This dynamic creates a difficult environment for passing new spending measures.
Bride Rose Sweeney, a Democratic state senator-elect from Westlake and former House budget negotiator, expressed optimism about the new leadership. She noted that Acton has a career history of working across party lines. Sweeney described this willingness to collaborate as a remarkable opportunity for the state. She believes a governor who is not afraid to work with Republicans can achieve more.
House Finance Chair Brian Stewart, a Republican from Ashville, acknowledged that the GOP caucus must unify to pass its agenda. He stated that the majority will need to play team ball to implement its policies. Stewart referenced the 2025 budget cycle, where five Republicans broke ranks to oppose the final bill. All five were reelected, signaling that dissent within the party does not necessarily harm members at the ballot box.
Key funding battles will center on Medicaid, the largest state appropriation, and H2Ohio, the clean water initiative launched under Governor Mike DeWine. Lawmakers have questioned the effectiveness of H2Ohio in recent years. Stewart noted that the program involves an awful lot of money and that legislators are digging into where the funds are going. Sweeney, who has served in the legislature since H2Ohio began, agreed that the program is confusing but said it is valid to ask if it is working. She added that the program recently missed its goal to mitigate algal blooms in Lake Erie, possibly due to recent cuts in funding.
Acton has said she wants to increase funding for H2Ohio. The budget may also include debates over legalizing online casinos and lottery games, known as iGaming and iLottery. Acton has proposed this as a new revenue source. Stewart said that a discussion on the topic is necessary. Lawmakers considered adding measures to tax these activities in 2025, but that effort did not succeed. The issue is likely to return in the next budget season.
