Ohio’s future may come down to decisions the state’s lawmakers will make within the next two weeks.

To say these key issues are critical to Ohio’s future does not come close to capturing the magnitude of what faces the state Senate and House of Representatives.

The clock is ticking for the Legislature to adopt and reconcile a budget before the June 30 deadline. Lawmakers have already made huge changes to Gov. John Kasich proposed plan, but significant differences remain between the House and Senate versions, especially when it comes to public education funding and the proposed Medicaid expansion that was removed from both plans.

Changes can certainly be made during the two-year budget cycle, but our fear is that the rush to get a far-reaching plan adopted will lead to poor decisions.

Leaders on both sides of the aisle need to roll up their sleeves and focus on finding a strong compromise on these and other important issues that remain unresolved.

Ohio’s future depends on smart, informed decisions trumping politics and knee-jerk reactions.