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White House Lists Ohio Impact from Sequester Cuts
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Cuts to military preparedness, environmental protection, education and safety services are all among the consequences that await Ohio, Pennsylvania and the rest of the United States if the sequester is permitted to take effect Friday, the White House warned Sunday.
A report, released Sunday evening, outlines the consequences for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia if the across-the-board cuts to defense programs are not stopped. The Office of Budget and Management calculates that sequestration will require an annual reduction of approximately 5% for nondefense programs and 8% for defense program. Given that the cuts must be achieved within seven months rather than 12, the effective reductions will be approximately 9% for nondefense programs and 13% for defense programs, “large and arbitrary cuts” the White House warns “will have severe impacts across the government,” the report states.
President Obama and congressional Democrats are at an impasse over how to achieve avoiding the across-the-board cuts mandated by the sequestration deal reached during an earlier budget fight. Obama and Democrats are calling for a mixture of spending cuts and revenue increases, primarily by increasing taxes and cutting loopholes for the wealthiest Americans, while Republicans are insisting on a cuts-only approach.
In Ohio, the defense cuts would result in furloughs for approximately 26,000 civilian Department of Defense employees, reducing gross pay by about $161.4 million in Ohio. Funding for Air Force operations would be cut by about $3 million and Army base funding would be reduced by about $1.9 million. In Pennsylvania, Defense cuts would also mean furloughs for 26,000 civilian Defense employees, reducing pay about $150.1 million. Army base funding would be cut by about $7 million.
Environmental protection funds -- an issue becoming more relevant due to the federal prosecution of a local businessman caught dumping fracking chemicals into the Mahoning River -- would also be impacted. Ohio is in line to lose nearly $6.9 million in environmental funding to ensure clean water and air quality, as well as prevent pollution from pesticides and hazardous waste and Pennsylvania risks losing $5.7 million, the White House warned.
Here is a list, provided by the White House, of how Ohio would be impacted this year if sequestration were to take effect:
Teachers and Schools:
- Ohio will lose approximately $25.1 million in funding for primary and secondary education, putting around 350 teacher and aide jobs at risk. In addition about 34,000 fewer students would be served and approximately 100 fewer schools would receive funding.
- In addition, Ohio will lose approximately $22 million in funds for about 270 teachers, aides, and staff who help children with disabilities.
- Around 3,320 fewer low income students in Ohio would receive aid to help them finance the costs of college and around 1,450 fewer students will get work-study jobs that help them pay for college.
- Head Start and Early Head Start services would be eliminated for approximately 2,500 children in Ohio, reducing access to critical early education.
Protections for Clean Air and Clean Water:
- Ohio would lose about $6,865,000 in environmental funding to ensure clean water and air quality, as well as prevent pollution from pesticides and hazardous waste. In addition, Ohio could lose another $981,000 in grants for fish and wildlife protection.
Military Readiness:
In Ohio, approximately 26,000 civilian Department of Defense employees would be furloughed, reducing gross pay by around $161.4 million in total.
- Army: Base operation funding would be cut by about $1.9 million in Ohio.
- Air Force: Funding for Air Force operations in Ohio would be cut by about $3 million.
Law Enforcement and Public Safety:
- Ohio will lose about $455,000 in Justice Assistance Grants that support law enforcement, prosecution and courts, crime prevention and education, corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, and crime victim and witness initiatives.
Job Search Assistance:
- Ohio will lose about $1,786,000 in funding for job search assistance, referral, and placement, meaning around 57,100 fewer people will get the help and skills they need to find employment.
Child Care:
- Up to 800 disadvantaged and vulnerable children could lose access to child care, which is also essential for working parents to hold down a job.
Vaccines for Children:
- In Ohio around 5,040 fewer children will receive vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, whooping cough, influenza, and Hepatitis B due to reduced funding for vaccinations of about $344,000.
Public Health:
- Ohio will lose approximately $1,102,000 in funds to help upgrade its ability to respond to public health threats including infectious diseases, natural disasters, and biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological events.
- In addition, Ohio will lose about $3,310,000 in grants to help prevent and treat substance abuse, resulting in around 4200 fewer admissions to substance abuse programs. And the Ohio State Department of Health will lose about $302,000 resulting in around 7,600 fewer HIV tests.
STOP Violence Against Women Program:
- Ohio could lose up to $245,000 in funds that provide services to victims of domestic violence, resulting in up to 900 fewer victims being served.
Nutrition Assistance for Seniors
- Ohio would lose approximately $823,000 in funds that provide meals for seniors.
SOURCE: White House Press Office.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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