Ohio schools and libraries will be spared deep cuts in 2010 thanks to an agreement reached in the Ohio Senate late Friday, Dec. 18.

Just five Senate Republicans were enough to pass House Bill 318, which delays the income tax decrease for the fifth year, said Rep. Marian Harris (D-Columbus).

"The Senate wanted to add a number of amendments that were not appropriate to this bill, but through a lot of negotiations, they did come up finally with a bill that was acceptable at least to the Democrats in the House and five Republicans in the Senate," she said.

Mike Collins, who represents the Ninth District on the State Board of Education, said he's thankful for the agreement that was reached. Collins represents many rural school districts that would have been hit hard by the proposed $851 million in cuts to public education.

"They not only would have lost their regular state aid, they would have lost their (low income funding). They would have lost between 20 and 25 percent of their income, and from a district standpoint, it was extremely significant," Collins said.

"Basically all the components of the education ... plan are still intact, and we continue to have the opportunity to do extremely good work."

Central Ohio school districts would have faced financial challenges if their state revenue had been cut.

"They would have been severely damaged had (the legislature) not agreed to do it this way," Collins said.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Dec. 22, Columbus City Schools Superintendent and CEO Gene Harris agreed.

"As the largest school district in the state, we know the significant impact these decisions have on our ability to provide a 21st century public education," she said.

"We are pleased a resolution was reached to maintain the budget which has been allocated for our schools, and allow for as little disruption as possible to the critical work underway to educate our students to be prepared for work in our global economy."

In addition to postponing the income tax cuts, the bill also includes provisions for districts to postpone the introduction of full-day kindergarten, which House Bill 1 required districts offer by 2011. Districts can acquire a waiver and put off offering full-day kindergarten until 2012 as long as they submit their plan for how to implement it then, Harris said.

Public libraries, too, are grateful for the compromise that was reached.

"(The budget) will provide about $17 million to the public library fund over the next two years," said Kim Snell, communications director for Columbus Metropolitan Library.

That amount will be divided up among all the public libraries in Ohio, she said.

Snell said the budget comes as a relief after drastic cuts the Columbus library system made earlier this year.

"(The funding will) hopefully provide us more opportunity to deliver the best products and services to our customer," she said.

"I'm relieved," said Harris as she apologized for the time spent to reach the agreement.

"I think the final outcome was a good one, and I think we can all celebrate the holidays knowing (that)," she said.

"I think the final outcome was a good one, and I think we can all celebrate the holidays knowing (that)."

--Marian Harris