Ohio groups: Reconciliation bill threatens jobs, schools, energy future

Farah Siddiqi

Ohio union and clean energy leaders are urging their U.S. Senators to reject a sweeping reconciliation bill they said would devastate families and reverse economic progress across the state.

They pointed out the proposal includes eliminating federal tax credits which have helped local governments invest in affordable energy and infrastructure.

Joe Flarida, executive director of Power a Clean Future Ohio, said repealing clean energy tax credits would drive up utility bills and force cuts to essential local services.

"We expect this summer to see utility rates reach as high as a 30% increase for American families," Flarida explained. "For folks sitting at their kitchen table and trying to do their budget, a 30% increase for utility rates is decimating."

The bill would repeal clean energy and manufacturing tax credits, risking $27.5 billion in investments and nearly 16,000 jobs in Ohio, according to the BlueGreen Alliance.

Lee Geisse, Ohio senior state policy manager for the BlueGreen Alliance, a coalition of union and environmental organizations, said the bill's wide-ranging cuts would create ripple effects across nearly every sector, affecting schools, health systems and job opportunities.

"I hope folks understand how this is all intertwined," Geisse emphasized. "It's going to take a lot of hard work for us, all of us and our members and our allies and partners, to get this point across."

Melissa Cropper, president of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, warns Medicaid cuts tied to the bill could weaken student support services and even contribute to school staff reductions.

"We're concerned that with these cuts, school health professionals like speech pathologists, occupational therapists, school nurses and all psychologists who all rely on Medicaid funding, will be cut," Cropper stressed.

The bill's detractors said the proposal threatens momentum in Ohio's clean energy economy and could roll back support for workers, families and schools at a critical time.