The Ohio Senate today outlined its state budget of $53 billion. Senators expect to freeze tuitions at public universities while giving colleges $300 more than promised by the House version of the budget bill.
The senate says they can pay for the increased funding for higher ed by tapping into more than $1 million in undesignated money which is expected to flow into the state's coffers during the next year.
The senate will also use money from lower Medicaid spending, tobacco taxes and other sources. Republican state senator John Carey says he's pleased with the budget.
Democratic State Senator Dale Miller says he wants more money to spend for medical coverage for Ohio's working poor. That's something Governor Strickland also wants but it was eliminated in the house version of the budget. June 30th is the deadline for a new budget.
