(The Center Square) – Ohio House Republicans say property owners will save more than $2 billion over the next three years as lawmakers continue to whittle away at property taxes.
The Senate now gets a package of bills that have been part of a year-long debate over reducing rising property taxes and a grassroots effort to have voters eliminate them completely.
“The majority caucus has been working tirelessly to pass meaningful reforms that provide property tax relief since we started this General Assembly back in January,” said House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima.
He credited the leadership of Chairman Bill Roemer, R-Richfield; Rep. David Thomas, R-Jefferson; and Rep. Jim Hoops, R-Napoleon, for advancing “initiatives today that will deliver direct savings to Ohioans statewide.”
The new bills attack property taxes on two fronts – stopping school districts from increasing taxes at a rate higher than inflation, and capping increases in inside millage collections to the rate of inflation.
“Taken together, House Bill 186 and House Bill 335 will help rein in unvoted property tax increases as The Buckeye Institute recommended,” said Greg Lawson, research fellow at The Buckeye Institute. “While there remains more to do to reform Ohio’s expensive system of local government and protect Ohioans from spiking property taxes, the adoption of the policies in House Bill 186 and House Bill 335 is another step in the right direction.”
The two go along with a series of laws approved as part of the state budget that Republicans say offer tax relief to senior citizens, simplify levy ballot language, prevent fraud, and give thecounty commission the authority to review tax increases.
Earlier this month, the House passed two bills that would close some levy loopholes and give county commissions the authority to reduce voter-approved millage rates.
In June, the House also gave county auditors more oversight in determining property values.
The potential constitutional amendment that would completely ban property taxes has drawn concern from lawmakers and government leaders around the state.
Public schools, counties, townships, fire departments, police offices, parks, libraries, road maintenance, senior services, mental health, health care, and countless other government services in Ohio rely on property taxes for all or part of their funding.
If passed, the amendment would eliminate $19 billion in funding for local governments and services, and the proposal does not include an alternative funding source.
That proposed amendment won’t go before voters in November, but it is likely to be on a 2026 ballot.
