Politics and fishing are a lot alike. You can ignite an argument without even trying.

Politics, water quality and even fishing are heading to a showdown later this month, and it seems as though the folks in Ohio’s statehouse may succeed in siphoning major bucks from the people and programs that help maintain and even improve our state’s fisheries.

In simple terms, Ohio House Bill 96 is the biennial budget bill, approved recently by the Senate and back in the House for conference committee negotiations before going to Governor Mike DeWine for signing. It is expected that DeWine will sign HB 96 into law.

The new budget would significantly reduce the taxes of Ohio’s wealthiest people, while making drastic cuts in H2Ohio, among many other state programs. H2Ohio is the water quality program instituted in 2019 to replace agricultural runoff and other nutrients entering Lake Erie, replace lead pipes and invest in efforts to reduce pollution.

H2Ohio springs from the 2014 water emergency in Toledo when residents were told to not drink and cook with their water because it contained toxins from the infamous algae blooms in Lake Erie. Phosphorus reduction goals were established by Ohio, Michigan and Ontario, and progress was made.

HB 96 would reduce Ohio’s funding of H2Ohio by nearly 45 percent. Ohio House Democrats recently issued a statement that says 75 percent of Ohioans support programs funded by H2Ohio. Groups representing Ohioans’ environmental concerns, including fishing interests, have raised their voices in opposition to the H2Ohio cuts.

Among them is Chris DePaola, a local muskie and steelhead angler, as well as co-host of the 120 Outdoors podcast.

“Urgent Alert!,” he wrote Thursday on Facebook. “If you fish, hunt, drink water, use Ohio’s parks, rivers and lakes, or appreciate the greatness of Lake Erie, you should know what we may land in ‘troubled waters.'”

He, and others, are urging citizens to raise their voices: “If you feel as we do that these (programs’ reduced funding) are bad for Ohio waters, lands, and citizens, please contact your state representative now!”

In addition, HB 96 would make dramatic cuts in the 2026-27 budget of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, which is responsible for maintaining our state’s fishing and hunting opportunities, state parks and many other programs and services valued by outdoors enthusiasts.

Critics of HB 96 say the cuts to ODNR, H2Ohio and other programs are designed to offset the reduction of income caused by tax cuts that mostly benefit wealthy Ohioans.

Their hope is enough people will raise objections that result in restoration of some of the cuts to H2Ohio before HB 96 gets to DeWine’s desk.

Jack Wollitz writes this column weekly for readers of the Tribune Chronicle and Vindicator. Contact him at jackbbaass@gmail.com.