• Meet Our Team
  • Advertise on SCDN
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Contact Us
Tuesday, October 14
Scioto County Daily News
  • Login
  • Register
Subscribe For $1/week
  • Public Safety
    Tragic Discovery

    Volunteers Answer the Call After Tragedy in Rarden 

    Sheriff night 2

    Late-Night Chaos at Wheelersburg Hotel Ends in Eviction 

    Bite Marks and Broken Rules: Phone Fight Lands Teen in Trouble 

    dog animal neglect

    Dog Locked in Truck Sparks Concern: Housing Instability Forces Owners to Make Tough Choices

    Maxwell McGuire

    No Consequences? Parole Violator Maxwell McGuire Busted Again in Copper Theft Case 

    SWANIGAN, ARTHUR

    Portsmouth’s Most Familiar Face: Arthur Swanigan Arrested Again 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 10/14/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    Kelly Dummitt

    Arrest of Kelly Dummitt: Troubled Past Catches Up Again 

    weird strange absurd

    NOT AGAIN: Bench Bandits Strike Portsmouth as Two More Seats Vanish 

    KFC Kill Trump

    KFC Chaos: Woman Arrested After Threatening to Kill Trump 

    Officers Step In to Save Lives on the Front Lines of Mental Health Crisis 

    police investigation

    New Details Emerge in Portsmouth Family’s Gross Abuse of a Corpse Case 

    fire

    Flames Race Up Hillside Near Swauger Valley Road — Cause Still Under Investigation 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 10/13/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    Mike Mearan Gene Meadows

    Special Edition: Unmasking Southern Ohio’s Human Trafficking Scandal 

    Gene Meadows Mike Mearan

    Gene Meadows: Attorney Turned Alleged Predator 

    Mike Mearan

    The Florida Connection: Who is Albert Schaub? 

    Mike Mearan

    The Kentucky Link: Daren Biggs 

    Mike Mearan

    From Courtrooms to Football Fields: Marc Rash 

    Mike Mearan

    The Keeper of Secrets: Who Hid the Files? 

  • Lawrence County
  • Politics

    Democrats Blast Bryan Davis: “Quit Collecting a Paycheck You’re Not Earning” 

    Robert Horton

    Update in Robert Horton Corruption Case 

    Davis Commish

    No Updates, Just an Empty Seat: Powell and Smith Say Davis Drama is Out of Their Hands

    weird strange absurd

    Parking, Murals, and an Indicted Commissioner: Sparks Fly at Portsmouth City Manager’s Conference 

    Bryan Davis Due Back In Court October 21 

    Sean Dunne Next Mayor of Portsmouth?

    Dunne: “It’s Time for Portsmouth to Speak Up” on Davis Resignation 

    confused woman

    Portsmouth Council Weighs Asking Davis to Resign 

    Turning Point USA

    Student Democrats Deny Role in Petition to Ban Turning Point USA at SSU 

    Turning Point USA

    Portsmouth Politics Escalate: SSU Students Petition to Ban Turning Point USA

    Recorder Gary Jenkins

    Scioto County Recorder’s Office Increases Fees 

    Scottie Powell

    Commissioner Powell Responds to Conflict of Interest Questions 

    FOP Endorses Malone, Neff in Portsmouth City Election 

    Bryan Davis

    Where’s Bryan Davis? GOP Says Step Down — Court Says Suspended

    SCDN File Photo

    Where’s Bryan Davis? After Two Missed Meetings, GOP Says It’s Time to Step Down 

    This bench is a different bench located near Jim Dandy's

    Exclusive: The Bench Is Back — But the Political Drama Isn’t Over 

    crisis question

    Where’s Bryan Davis? Commissioners, Citizens Ask the Same Question 

    Scioto County Commissioner Bryan Davis

    Bryan Davis Arraignment Set, New Judge Assigned 

    Bryan Davis

    Why Commissioner Davis Staying in Office Raises Big Problems 

    Scottie Powell

    Powell Calls on Commissioner Davis to Resign 

    Scioto County Bryan Davis Scandal

    🗓 Timeline of a Scandal: How Scioto County’s Economic Development Crisis Unfolded 

  • Feel Good

    Honoring Scioto County’s First Town — and Its First People: New Heritage Trail Sign Dedicated at Earl Thomas Conley Park 

    A man approaching the bowling lane with a red bowling ball as his three friends in the background cheer him on.

    How Bowling Can Improve Your Mental Health

    A sleek blue sedan parked on concrete. Behind the vehicle is a view of the sky with a setting sun over a body of water.

    How To Make Your Daily Driver Feel Like a Sports Car

    A person's hand is holding a miniature wooden house with a green roof and a budding plant on top against a green background.

    How To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint at Home

    A man sitting in a vehicle is handing over an ID card to a female police officer standing by his window.

    Tips for Staying Calm During Police Encounters

    Cyn Mackley

    Cyn Mackley Channels Haunted Appalachia

    A group of friends stand around a table, smiling, laughing, and drinking. There are plates of food on the table.

    Creative Ways To Host Outdoor Events This Summer

    A family of two parents and a young boy and girl are playing laser tag with vests and laser blasters in an arena.

    What Activities To Offer at a Family Fun Center

    Shawnee State University SSU

    Shawnee State University Joins New Athletic Conference, Adds Football to Lineup 

    BREAKING: Commissioners Make Shocking Decision—Halloween to Remain on Halloween 

    Escape to the Hills: A Summer Reading List Set in Appalachia 

    Scioto County Champs: Lady Trojans and Word Wizards Bring Home the Gold 

    “I Held Those Keys Tight” — One Man’s Harrowing Journey from Addiction to Hope 

    Three girls in quinceañera dresses stand beside one another. The one in middle has a gold dress while the other two wear pink.

    Tips for Selecting the Color of a Quinceañera Dress

    The Day the Streak Ended: Lakers’ 1987 Record Broken

    An angler standing at the edge of a lake just after sunset with three fishing rods resting on the ground next to him.

    Night Fishing: Who Is It for and How Do You Start?

    good cops

    Cops Rescue Lost Man 

    good cops

    Kid Misses Bus, Deputy to the Rescue 

    A group of people stands outside with their arms in the air. They hold their hands together, making a pyramid shape.

    Hidden Gems: Community Strategies for Mental Wellness

    good cops

    Man Says He’s Trapped in Armory 

  • Obituaries
    Thelma Terry

    Thelma Isabelle Branham Terry, 91, of South Shore

    Ashley Nicole Lavey

    Ashley Nicole Lavey, 30 of Portsmouth

    Michael Van Swearingen

    Michael Van Swearingen, 89, of Portsmouth

    Donald H. Adkins

    Donald H. Adkins, 79 of South Shore,

    Suzi Bumgardner, 85 of Peebles

    Mary Lou Ratliff

    Mary Lou Ratliff, 90 of Portsmouth

    Gerry Conchita Kazee Mershon Osborne

    Gerry Conchita Kazee Mershon Osborne, 72, of West Portsmouth

    Thomas Marshall Redmon

    Thomas Marshall Redmon, 90 of Portsmouth,

     Larry Randall Williams

     Larry Randall Williams, 82 of West Portsmouth

    Marilyn Rosemary Bailey, 62 of Ironton

    Julia Mae Duke

    Julia Mae Duke, 83 of Piketon

    Dana LaMonte Messer

    Dana LaMonte Messer, 68 of Portsmouth

    Heath Aaron Pollard

    Heath Aaron Pollard, 43 Jackson

    Betty Kathleen Rowe

    Betty Kathleen Rowe, aged 91 of Wheelersburg

    Diana J. Todd

    Diana J. Todd, 81 of Sciotoville

    David W. Bauer

    David W. Bauer, 94 of Wheelersburg

    Dorothy Sue Stringfield

    Dorothy Sue Stringfield, 62 of Portsmouth

    Garry Arnett Hurless

    Garry Arnett Hurless, 83 of Piketon

    William Ratliff

    William C. Ratliff 72, of Portsmouth

    Annetta Collins

    Annetta Collins, 68 of South Webster

  • More News
    • All News
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Education
    • Economy
    • Food & Drinks
    • Local Business
    • National
    • Opinion
    • Regional
    • Strange But True
    • Trending
No Result
View All Result
Scioto County Daily News
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Register
Scioto County Daily News
No Result
View All Result

BOGUS BILLIONS: Pizzulli draws criticism from Republicans over fake funding bill

Staff Report by Staff Report
2 years ago
in Ohio
Pizzulli
ShareTweetEmail

Appointed State Representative Justin Pizzulli and many of his House colleagues drew heavy criticism from Republicans this week after statements were released claiming Pizzulli “secured” over $6 million in state funding for capital projects in Scioto, Adams, and Brown counties. Pizzulli’s claim is, of course, entirely untrue – no capital budget has even been negotiated, let alone signed into law. 

H.B. 2 passed the Ohio House of Representatives on Wednesday with Justin Pizzulli’s vote, as well as the votes of every Democrat representative. The bill would spend a whopping $2 billion of taxpayer money on capital projects across the state, but Republican-aligned groups and individuals are coming out strongly against the bill. 

For a capital budget bill to become law, it must pass the Ohio House of Representatives, pass the Ohio Senate, and be signed by the Governor. Currently, H.B. 2 has only been passed by the House, and the Senate has no plans to touch the bill. So, no funding has been “secured,” as Pizzulli claimed.

RELATED POSTS

Volunteers Answer the Call After Tragedy in Rarden 

Late-Night Chaos at Wheelersburg Hotel Ends in Eviction 

Dog Locked in Truck Sparks Concern: Housing Instability Forces Owners to Make Tough Choices

Senator Terry Johnson, a former member of the House, indirectly rebuked Pizzulli in a statement released Friday. 

“It’s important to clarify that no funding has been guaranteed for any projects through HB 2,” Johnson said. “In fact, this bill was created without any input from the Senate, breaking a long-held tradition in the General Assembly of both chambers working together on a capital funding bill. While some in the House of Representatives have claimed that funding has been ‘secured’ for local projects, this is simply not the case.”

Americans for Prosperity Ohio, a conservative group that backs Republicans, claimed that H.B. 2 is being pushed by Pizzulli and other representatives for personal gain.

Please Support This Local Business

“It appears that the bill was intentionally rushed to allow members to appropriate $350 million for pet projects in their home districts ahead of a competitive March primary election,” said Donovan O’Neil of AFP-Ohio. “Legislation released in the dark of night and moved at breakneck speed only serves to sow distrust in what should be an otherwise transparent government process.”

H.B. 2 spends most of the money on projects in the districts of Democrat members and members who defected from the Republican Party in 2023 to elect a Speaker of the House chosen by the Democrats. Justin Pizzulli is a hand-picked member of this group of Republican exiles, and the Democrat-selected Speaker of the House, Jason Stephens, is supporting Pizzulli.

Why is this important? On March 19th, voters will go to the polls to vote in the 2024 Primary Election. Here in the 90th District, Rep. Justin Pizzulli is being challenged for his seat, and money is pouring into the district from Democrat-selected Speaker Jason Stephens’ campaign slush fund, known as OHRA. Following the Speaker’s lead, left-wing groups, including many that endorsed President Joe Biden for re-election, have donated thousands to Pizzulli’s campaign according to a recent campaign finance filing. 

The argument Republicans are making is that Speaker Stephens rushed H.B. 2 in order to give his supporters (including Pizzulli) bragging rights and a political boost ahead of the March election. This is, of course, in spite of the fact that no money was actually secured for the 90th District.

Justin Pizzulli made headlines two weeks ago after the Ohio Republican Party voted to remove him from its slate of endorsed candidates due to concerns over his votes in support of left-wing positions on several bills currently pending in the state legislature. The bills involved issues including gender ideology, critical race theory, and small business regulation.

Pizzulli was also surrounded by a firestorm of controversy after his appointment to the 90th District seat last year. During that process, 30 of Pizzulli’s Republican colleagues in the Ohio House voted against appointing him to the seat. That controversial vote was taken after some of his past statements emerged, showing Pizzulli’s opposition to President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, as well as his support for the BLM/Antifa and LGBT movements.

While the conservative Senate’s leadership is concerned about H.B. 2, it plans to move forward with a capital budget process after the March election. In a letter obtained by Scioto County Daily News, Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) expressed his frustration and emphasized that no capital budget deal has been reached. 

“The House believes there is an agreement with the Senate on House Bill 2, the spending bill, that was brought to the floor by the Speaker today. To be clear, there is no such agreement,” Huffman said. “The Senate will continue to follow its timeline announced in December for this year’s Capital Budget process which includes the additional $700 million for the One Time Strategic Community Investment Fund, with the goal of both chambers passing a single agreed-upon bill later in May or early June.”

Huffman also noted his disappointment that the House chose not to work with the conservative-dominated Senate in crafting a budget bill.

“Approving a large spending bill without additional debate would be irresponsible and an abdication of the duties of the Senate,” Huffman said. “Normally, both chambers work together to create an agreed-upon bill. For unknown reasons, the House chose to break from that process.”

Tags: ElectionFeaturedgovernmentLawNewsletterScioto CountySouthern Ohio
Please Support This Local Business

TRENDING NOW

Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

Busted! 10/10/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

October 10, 2025
Southern Ohio Medical Center

Shove at SOMC: Dad Walks Out With Child, Staff Calls Police 

October 9, 2025
Sheriff night 1

Deputies Step In as Teen Meltdown Escalates in West Portsmouth 

October 9, 2025
Scioto County Grand Jury Indictments

19 New Scioto County Grand Jury Indictments

October 9, 2025

PUBLIC NOTICE: Demolition Notification – Scioto County, OH

October 10, 2025

ABOUT US

We are a grassroots team of local journalists on a mission to give our community up-to-the-second news and events for Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Western West Virginia. We believe progress inspires change and we believe our reporting has become the front-lines of Portsmouth, Ohio's comeback.

CATEGORIES

  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Casino
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • Food & Drink
  • Local Business
  • National
  • Obituaries
  • Ohio
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Public Safety
  • Regional
  • Strange But True
  • Video

AREAS SERVED

  • Portsmouth
  • Wheelersburg
  • Minford
  • Waverly
  • Friendship
  • Ironton
  • West Union
  • Piketon
  • Coal Grove
  • South Point
  • Vanceburg
  • Grayson
  • South Shore
  • Greenup
  • Raceland
  • Ashland

SITE SEARCH

No Result
View All Result
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Public Safety
  • Lawrence County
  • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • All News
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise on SCDN
  • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Public Safety
  • Lawrence County
  • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • All News
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise on SCDN
  • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.