High property taxes are one of the top concerns for many homeowners around Ohio. State lawmakers are hearing from homeowners and trying to tweak the system to lower tax rates or at least slow the increases.
At the same time, a group continues its campaign to get a question on next year’s ballot that would abolish all property taxes in Ohio. A new study found that if that happens, Ohio would be in quite a fix to recoup the lost tax revenue.
The Tax Foundation said if the state and counties were to increase income taxes to make up the difference, the statewide average total income tax would be about 13%. Right now, the average of state and local income taxes is 9%.
To discuss the study and struggle to fix the system, we turn to Republican strategist Mike Gonidakis, Ohio State University political scientist Herb Asher, Ohio Public Radio reporter Jo Ingles and Signal Ohio reporter Jake Zuckerman.
We also discuss a Franklin County judge's decision to block Ohio Gov. DeWine’s three-month ban on intoxicating hemp products and whether a judge should have the power to make a state-wide decision.
The group also looks at the latest in the 2026 races for Ohio governor and U.S. Senate. Former Congressman Tim Ryan is moving closer to entering the Democratic race for governor and could set up a primary election with former Ohio health director Dr. Amy Acton.
In the U.S. Senate race, former Sen. Sherrod Brown reports raising $8 million over the past three months. That's more than double what incumbent Senator John Huston raised during that same period.
Snollygoster Of The Week
Our honor, the shrewdest politician or political move of the week, is getting kind of boring. But this week we have to give it to Republicans on the Ohio Redistricting Commission.
Lawmakers are approaching the final phase of the process of drawing and, in theory, debating a new congressional district map.
The redistricting commission met this week, but there was no map. It’s looking more and more like the public and state lawmakers will not see the map until next month, when lawmakers face a final deadline to approve it. And by waiting that long, Republicans only need a simple majority to pass it…
We should call this ongoing snollygostering.