Causes Compete With Each Other For Budget Attention

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Ohio legislators have approved a temporary budget and the governor is expected to sign it.

From librarians to care givers, local interest groups continue to protest proposed state budget cuts.

Home healthcare advocates took to the statehouse Tuesday in hopes of preserving funding for the elderly and disabled.

Unlike most people who are protesting, home healthcare advocates aren’t just arguing for more money. They’re against funding for other groups—with one specifically in mind.

Maria Matzik spends most Tuesdays in the comfort of her Dayton home, relying on her ventilator and receiving nursing care to get through each day.

But on June 30, Matzik appeared at the Ohio Statehouse, trying to get the attention of lawmakers.

“We’re trying to keep people in their homes and not being forced into nursing homes,“ Matzik said.

Matzik and her colleagues argue the state budget doesn’t provide enough for home and community-based care and support.

They also said nursing homes are getting too much.

“We understand there are going to be budget cuts, but when they’re looking at possibly giving more money to institutional care and cutting home care that just needs to stop,“ Matzik said.

They’re one of the few groups to go on the offensive against another group in the battle to secure a bigger spot in the budget.

“You can’t have it both ways. If everyone has to suck it up and take a cut, then everybody needs to do that. Then, hopefully, the cuts to home and community-based won’t be so damaging as they are now,“ said Sue Hetrick, public policy center director, Ability Center of Greater Toledo.

But they are other interest groups are competing not only for money, but for attention.

“I think if we can educate enough lawmakers about what actually is in this budget bill, we may be able to save the future of renewable energy for Ohio,“ said Amy Gomberg.

Gomberg’s group, Environment Ohio, held its own news conference at the statehouse just a few hundred feet away from Matzik and the home healthcare advocates, hoping to influence state legislators about energy tax credits.

“I think it is tough because there are so many big issues on the line,“ Gomberg said.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Pete Van Runkle, executive director of the Ohio Health Care Association, which represents nursing homes, said they don’t see the relationship with home healthcare advocates as adversarial. They support funding home care, but they’re disappointed to hear them suggest nursing homes be cut more.

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