(The Center Square) – Ohio voters could get the chance to end property taxes in the state once and for all.
The Ohio Ballot Board meets Wednesday to discuss a proposed constitutional amendment to ban current and future property taxes across the state. Organizers hope it will make its way to the ballot this fall.
For any proposed constitutional amendment, the Ballot Board, which consists of three Republicans and two Democrats, must certify that the issue contains only one proposed amendment.
If the Ballot Board approves, organizers must then get signatures from registered voters in at least 44 of the state’s 88 counties. The valid signatures must equal at least 3% of the votes cast for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election.
Statewide, the total number of valid signatures must be at least 6% of the that election vote total.
If the signature requirement is met, the Ohio Ballot Board must certify the proposed amendment contains only one question before it can be placed on the ballot.
Other attempts to address property taxes in the state have failed to make it past Attorney General Dave Yost, who first must certify 1,000 verified voter signatures and the summary is legal.
In August, a proposal to get voter consent before any government entity could raise property taxes failed to get past Yost.
Late last week, Yost gave his approval for the proposed amendment to ban property taxes, saying the title and summary are both truthful statements.
That sent it to Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who heads the Ballot Board and set Wednesday’s meeting.
