Ohioans who want to eliminate property taxes came up short in their effort to make the November ballot − but they aren’t going anywhere.
The Committee to Abolish Ohio Property Taxes will target the November 2027 election for its proposed constitutional amendment, organizer Brian Massie said June 5. The measure would eliminate real property taxes in Ohio, a prospect that alarms Republicans and Democrats alike.
Advocates needed around 413,000 valid signatures by July 1. Massie said they wanted to get 620,000 − in case some get tossed − and didn’t hit that goal. By not submitting this year, the group can continue collecting signatures without the risk of starting from scratch.
Massie declined to say how many signatures they collected. As of April, he said they had 305,000.
“As responsible citizens, we want to provide our elected officials with enough time to address the needed spending cuts to the bloated taxing authorities throughout Ohio and the spending priorities of the state legislators,” Massie said during a podcast interview.
Ohio collects more than $20 billion in local property taxes that help fund school districts, libraries, police and emergency services. Opposition to the amendment made unlikely bedfellows of groups that don’t always see eye-to-eye, including unions and business leaders.
The grassroots ballot effort grew from years of frustration over rising property taxes. In response, lawmakers enacted legislation last year to slash property taxes and cap future increases. Those changes were too little, too late for homeowners who saw their bills increase in January.
Even with the amendment sidelined − for now − property taxes are expected to be a top issue in the 2026 election.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said he wants to roll back property taxes after initially pledging to eliminate them. Details of his plan are sparse but rely on local governments to operate “with greater discipline.” His Democratic opponent Dr. Amy Acton, has yet to release detailed policy goals on property taxes.
State government reporter Haley BeMiller can be reached at hbemiller@usatodayco.com or @haleybemiller on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Effort to abolish Ohio property taxes falls short for November ballot
Reporting by Haley BeMiller, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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By Haley BeMiller, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
