Article I, sections 8 & 9 of the United States Constitution establish Congress's “power of the purse” — control of federal spending. In years past, Congress limited the types of specific funding provisions that members of Congress could request in order to curb abusive practices. At the beginning of the 117th Congress, House Democrats decided to bring back these types of requests, subject to additional guidelines and increased transparency requirements. Following that decision, the House Republican Conference voted to allow House Republicans to participate in the new process. Though I voted against doing so and would have preferred the prohibition on these types of requests remain in place, I will operate within these rules to best serve Ohio's Second District constituents.
The requests represent projects from across Southern and Southwestern Ohio that would benefit Ohioans in the Second District. They have been long-standing community needs and were brought to my attention by members of our community — not Washington lobbyists.
When considering which projects would be submitted to the House Appropriations Committee, each Community Project Funding request was evaluated with the following criteria in mind:
- The request originated locally from OH-02 communities;
- The request was for demonstrated existing needs;
- The request focused on improving health and/or safety;
- The request was for infrastructure improvements that benefitted the entire community;
- The requested federal funding was an appropriate use of federal taxpayer dollars;
- The slate of chosen requests were geographically diverse to include all parts of the district;
- The request demonstrated unified community support; and
- The request could meet requirements set forth by the House Appropriations Committee.
Below are the following Community Project Funding requests that I submitted for the Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations process. I have listed them alphabetically in the interest of transparency and to certify that I have no personal financial interest in any of them.
Alexander Salamon Airport Sewer Extension
- Location: Adams County
- Funding Recipient: Adams County Economic and Community Development Office
- Recipient Address: 215 N. Cross Street, Suite 101 West Union, Ohio 45693
- Description: This project would construct a new sanitary sewer line with lift stations to pump the effluent water from the Alexander Salamon Airport to West Union’s new Wastewater Treatment Plant. Many residents in the proposed project area are still on individual septic systems, and Adams County in the past has had insufficient funds to bring sewer to this part of the county. Not having a sewer line is currently a barrier to developing key sites around the county airport. This project will benefit both the health and safety of local residents, as well as the economic vitality of Adams County. ($2,845,552)
- Certification of No Financial Interest
- Support Letters
Aicholtz Roundabouts
- Location: Clermont County
- Funding Recipient: Clermont County Transportation Improvement District
- Recipient Address: 2381 Clermont Center Dr, Batavia, OH 45103
- Description: This project would improve safety and provide congestion relief along State Route 32 and Aicholtz Road by creating a new corridor for east-west travel and by converting several intersections to roundabouts. Currently, residents in the area report excessive speeding and cutting through residential streets, which the new free-flow corridor would help solve. Additionally, the project would improve pedestrian safety by incorporating sidewalks along Aicholtz Road. Aicholtz Road is a major collector road that runs east-west parallel to State Route 32 in Clermont County. This road serves as an alternative route across Interstate 275. In doing so, Aicholtz Road will be rerouted to intersect more efficiently with Glen Este-Withamsville Road and SR 32. The project area includes vacant developable properties as well as new developments that will benefit from the improved traffic flow through the area. ($2,000,000)
- In Fiscal Year 2020, the most recent year for which data is available, the Federal Highway Administration estimates that Ohioans paid $1,545,167,000 in motor fuel excise taxes into the federal Highway Trust Fund. This request will ensure Southern Ohioans’ tax dollars fund priority projects in Ohio’s Second District.
- Certification of No Financial Interest
- Support Letters
Hamilton County Affordable Housing Project (EAST)
- Location: Hamilton County
- Funding Recipient: The Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA)
- Recipient Address: 1627 Western Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45214
- Description: This project would help CMHA complete needed capital improvement projects at CMHA properties, including HVAC equipment, roofing systems, appliances, plumbing, electrical systems, driveways, and foundation and/or grading repairs. Safe, affordable housing is one of the many social determinants of health and a key factor to helping low-income individuals and families lift themselves out of poverty and on to the path of self-sufficiency. These capital improvement projects will make CMHA’s affordable housing units more marketable and habitable for prospective tenants for the next 20 years. ($4,275,000)
- Certification of No Financial Interest
- Support Letters
Hamilton County Justice Center Security Improvements
- Location: Hamilton County
- Funding Recipient: Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners
- Recipient Address: 138 E Court Street 6th Floor Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
- Description: This project would improve the safety and security environment of the Hamilton County Justice Center. The Hamilton County Justice Center is the primary jail in Hamilton County, housing approximately 1,200 inmates daily. This project will address four critical security issues at the Justice Center to enhance the overall public safety for residents as well as improve the secure environment for the 350 corrections officers and over 100 civilians working in the facility. ($1,000,000)
- Certification of No Financial Interest
- Support Letters
Jefferson Street Business Center Expansion, Highland County Community Action Organization (HCCAO) Expansion for Day Care in NHBC Hillsboro
- Location: Highland County
- Funding Recipient: Highland County Community Action Organization
- Recipient Address: 1487 N High St #500, Hillsboro, OH 45133
- Description: The funding would support new childcare facilities and fix a drainage issue with the current childcare facility’s parking lot. HCCAO is looking to further expand within vacant space they already own at their Jefferson Street Business Center as well as add additional classrooms for Day Care, Head Start, and storage. With current staff and customers, their parking lot is already 85 percent full. This project would allow them to expand their capacity to meet the childcare needs of the community. ($556,250)
- Certification of No Financial Interest
- Support Letters
Lighthouse Youth Center at Paint Creek
- Location: Ross County
- Funding Recipient: Lighthouse Youth Services
- Recipient Address: 1071 Tong Hollow Rd, Bainbridge, OH 45612
- Description: The funding would support new mental health and residential treatment services at the Lighthouse Youth Center's Paint Creek facility in Bainbridge, Ohio. This project would replace four aging buildings on the property as well as cover architectural and engineering costs. They would build a new dormitory and program space for boys ages 13-18 in the custody of Ohio Job & Family Services (JFS), a County JFS partner, or the Ohio Department of Youth Services. Paint Creek has operated since 1986 and is a qualified residential treatment program housing up to 54 boys when at capacity. Paint Creek is licensed by Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services. ($1,850,000)
- Certification of No Financial Interest
- Support Letters
Portsmouth Water Treatment Plant
- Location: Scioto County
- Funding Recipient: City of Portsmouth
- Recipient Address: 728 Second Street, Portsmouth, OH 45662
- Description: This project would include the design and construction of a new 8 million gallon per day water treatment plant to replace Portsmouth’s existing, aging water treatment plant, which was constructed nearly 100 years ago and has exceeded its useful life. The project would allow for the city to support reliable, continued service of safe drinking water for the 40,000 existing customers in Portsmouth as well as the growing industrial corridor along the Ohio River. ($4,000,000)
- Certification of No Financial Interest
- Support Letters
Reed Hartman Highway and Grooms Road Connector
- Location: Hamilton County
- Funding Recipient: City of Blue Ash
- Recipient Address: 4343 Cooper Road, Blue Ash, OH 45242
- Description: This project would create a new connector road to provide access to a future Sycamore School District Bus Depot and a future development area, which was vacated when Proctor and Gamble (P&G) moved from the site. This would also incentivize development in the Blue Ash area and provide an important access point to the City’s major commercial corridors. The new road would promote public safety by providing new accessibility for the Sycamore School District Transportation Center, which helps children reach school safely, and is located near the I-275/I-71 interchange. ($3,510,000)
- In Fiscal Year 2020, the most recent year for which data is available, the Federal Highway Administration estimates that Ohioans paid $1,545,167,000 in motor fuel excises taxes into the federal Highway Trust Fund. This request will ensure Southern Ohioans’ tax dollars fund priority projects in Ohio’s Second District.
- Certification of No Financial Interest
- Support Letters
Ross County Union Heights Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements
- Location: Ross County
- Funding Recipient: Ross County Board of Commissioners
- Recipient Address: 2 North Paint Street, Suite H, Chillicothe, Ohio 45601
- Description: This project would decommission and demolish the existing Union Heights Wastewater Treatment Plant, construct three new pump stations, 41,500 linear feet of force main sewer (pressurized sewer pipe), and an approximately 3,500 linear feet of gravity sewer. This will improve the sewer services for current and future Union Heights residents, while aiding in potential development at the Ross County Shoemaker Airport and the Ross County Fairgrounds. ($4,000,000)
- Certification of No Financial Interest
- Support Letters
Scioto Valley Regional Water Reclamation Facility and Water Treatment Plant
- Location: Pike County
- Funding Recipient: The Village of Piketon
- Recipient Address: 411 West Street, Piketon, Ohio 45661
- Description: This project would construct a new wastewater treatment plant and a new water treatment plant and booster station. This would not only support community and economic growth inside the Village of Piketon but will also support regional industrial growth. In addition, the Pike County Health District reports that many sewers in the region are not in compliance with current environmental regulations, and that connecting the geographical area to public sewer would improve the health of the community and the environment by providing access to safe sewage treatment services. The project has been a priority for Pike County ever since the current facilities have reached the end of their useful lives and have limited capacity to support growth and development. ($4,000,000)
- Certification of No Financial Interest
- Support Letters
State Route 159 (Bridge Street)
- Location: Ross County
- Funding Recipient: Ohio Department of Transportation
- Recipient Address: 1980 West Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43223
- Description: This project would improve safety along the State Route 159/Bridge Street corridor, reduce congestion, and create much needed pedestrian facilities along the corridor and the U.S. Route 35 interchange. This SR 159 is the main North-South roadway in the City of Chillicothe and the most traveled corridor in Ross County, and the improvements will benefit both safety and economic development in downtown Chillicothe. ($4,000,000)
- In Fiscal Year 2020, the most recent year for which data is available, the Federal Highway Administration estimates that Ohioans paid $1,545,167,000 in motor fuel excises taxes into the federal Highway Trust Fund. This request will ensure Southern Ohioans’ tax dollars fund priority projects in Ohio’s Second District.
- Certification of No Financial Interest
- Support Letters
State Route 32 Eastern Corridor Segment IVa (Phases 4-10)
- Location: Clermont County
- Funding Recipient: Clermont County Transportation Improvement District
- Recipient Address: 2381 Clermont Center Dr, Batavia, OH 45103
- Description: This project would better support increasing levels of traffic, reduce congestion and improve roadway safety along the stretch of State Route 32 from Interstate 275 east toward Batavia. This project will create a 7.5-mile free flow corridor by eliminating three traffic signals with the creation of a partial interchange at Glen Este-Withamsville Road and an interchange at Bach Buxton Road. ($2,000,000)
- In Fiscal Year 2020, the most recent year for which data is available, the Federal Highway Administration estimates that Ohioans paid $1,545,167,000 in motor fuel excises taxes into the federal Highway Trust Fund. This request will ensure Southern Ohioans’ tax dollars fund priority projects in Ohio’s Second District.
- Certification of No Financial Interest
- Support Letters
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