COLUMBUS, Ohio — It’s an off-year primary, which means there’s less traffic at the polls, but those casting a ballot are voting on a measure that would fund for example bridges, stormwater repairs and much more.

What You Need To Know

  • Issue 2 would give out bonds as grant funds to local communities, villages, cities townships and counties to build roads, bridges and much more
  • It doesn’t raise taxes because bonds are paid out of the general fund
  • None of the funding would go toward building a new stadium for the Cleveland Browns

A vote of “yes” would allow the state to issue $250 million dollars in bonds per year for the next decade to fund the State Capital Improvement Program.

Scott Coleman, the president of the county Engineers Association of Ohio, said this is money administered by the Ohio Public Works Commission.

“Given out as grant funds to local communities villages cities townships and counties,” Coleman said. “To build roads, bridges, water lines sewer lines, stormwater improvements, things of that nature.”

For example, in Logan County, they do a lot of paving projects Coleman said.

One of the villages they had work done was Zanesfield.

“It was a situation where a couple of houses would often get flooded due to the storm water and we were able to make improvements so that those houses no longer had flooding issues,” Scott said. “We have also had sewer plant and water plant upgrades to some of the small villages.”

This is a measure that comes up for a vote about every 10 years, so it would be a renewal if it passes and it wouldn’t raise taxes.

Also, none of the funding would go toward building a new stadium for the Cleveland Browns.

“We’ve had this program for nearly 40 years, and it is one of the most successful, funding programs, that we have,” Coleman said. “Where nearly all of the money goes directly to construction projects.”