COLUMBUS — Gov. Ted Strickland released a “worst-case” budget scenario on Dec. 11 to cut 25 percent of current state agency funding if no federal aid is attained.

The measure would preserve Medicaid, a tax reduction, and allow Ohio to keep making debt payments, but among other cuts, it would eliminate publicly funded mental health services in Gallia and Meigs counties, as well as services in Brown, Jackson, Adams, Scioto, Lawrence and Medina counties.

Strickland rolled out the plan in a call for aid to demonstrate how bad things might get if no federal assistance is received. Based on revenue projections, Ohio is facing a deficit of more than $7 billion over the next two years.

Other worst-case budget cuts would include:

Per-student funding being dropped $840 by the Ohio Department of Education.

Dropping state support for Ohio State University by $119 million.

Cutting full funding for home-based care as an alternative to nursing homes for 6,480 elderly individuals.

Closing state parks.

Cutting regulation funding for oil and gas production.

Raising tuition at public colleges by nearly $2,000.

Cutting 5,237 jobs at the state prisons department, which includes corrections and parole officers.

Closing six prison institutions.

These budget figures are mere projections at this point in time, though they may be an indication of things to come in a faltering economy.

Strickland feels that federal aid is deserved because the economic slowdown is a result of federal action or inaction, however he maintains that without aid, tough revenue decisions will have to be made in the near future.