Tucked inside the Ohio Senate’s $60.23 billion biennial state budget bill are four appropriations for Mahoning Valley projects totaling $2,185,000.

State Sen. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, was able to get the funding for the four projects into the Senate version of the bill. The House and Senate have to reconcile their versions of the budget and have it approved by Gov. Mike DeWine by June 30.

“All of this money coming back to the region will be instrumental with economic development and improving the quality of life,” Cutrona said.

The largest appropriation for the Valley in the Senate bill is $1.25 million for the Youngstown State University Excellence Training Center.

The center opened in 2021 with $7 million in state capital funding and $5 million from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and the Appalachian Regional Commission. The center provides workforce development training for advanced manufacturing, such as robotics, automation and 3D printing.

The funding will go toward expanding the center, Cutrona said.

Boardman would get $500,000 for flood mitigation under the Senate bill.

The township received $3.13 million for flood reduction in September from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Flood Mitigation Assistance program. Among the projects are a complete retrofit of the stormwater system, the acquisition and demolition of high flood-risk apartment buildings and nature-based improvements to the Boardman Plaza.

The state funding would be used as the local match for those federal funds, Cutrona said.

This is part of an overall $47 million in flood control projects planned for Boardman.

The Senate budget also includes $250,000 for the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments to support the study of the construction of an oil and natural gas pipeline along state Route 11 in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana and Ashtabula counties.

The Ohio House budget included $210,000 to Eastgate as well as other organizations outside Mahoning and Trumbull to study the proposal.

A study would take about a year.

The potential pipeline could promote development of large companies in the four counties, Cutrona said.

The $250,000 allocation was initially removed by the Senate, but Cutrona said he fought to get it back into the final bill.

“The study will see how viable the pipeline is,” Cutrona said. “It will help with business development, economic development and energy. This has huge potential. The study is the first step and then we’ll see what is next.”

Also in the state Senate budget is a $185,000 reappropriation of state funds for the village of Poland.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources last year awarded that money to the village, but it was incorrectly earmarked.

It was supposed to go to the village’s Forest Connector project – and now it will.

The project is a 0.65-mile walking and hiking trail along the side of Village Hall, southward along Yellow Creek, eventually crossing the creek and following Poland Manor to a Poland Forest entrance.

The Ohio Senate voted 23-10 Wednesday to approve the budget, with all Democrats opposing it and all Republicans except one — Bill Blessing, R-Colerain — voting for it. It also includes $600 million for a new Cleveland Browns stadium and introduction of one 2.75% flat income tax rate for all taxpayers.

House and Senate conferees will begin working on drafting a final joint budget from their two versions and the governor’s proposal. The final budget must be on Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk by June 30.