As passed by the House and Senate, the budget aimed to ban property-tax gobbledygook that can incorrectly imply that some proposed property-tax levies (examples: “replacement” or “emergency” levies) won’t increase the amount of money homeowners and other property-owners would have to pay. To that extent, the jargon-ban can be seen as a truth-in-taxation measure.
DeWine said he killed that budget provision because “[such types of] levies serve as important tools for school districts as they seek to maintain their long-term financial stability. The DeWine-Tressel Administration recognizes the great need for property tax reform in Ohio and will convene a working group that will include legislators, agency officials, school officials, community members, and property tax experts to ensure this critical topic is given the attention deserved.”
DeWine’s subsequently appointed Tax Reform Working Group and its co-chairs are ex-state Rep. William G. Seitz, a suburban Cincinnati Republican whom DeWine recently appointed to the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals, and ex- U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi, a suburban Columbus Republican who’s the Ohio Business Roundtable president and chief executive officer.
The House vote to override DeWine’s veto of that budget item was 61 “yeas” to 28 “nays.” Voting for the override were 61 of the 62 Republicans present. Republican Rep. Scott Oelslager, of North Canton, once chair of the budget-writing Finance Committee, voted “no.”
Three House Republicans were absent: Former Speaker Jason Stephens, of Lawrence County’s Kitts Hill, and Reps. Cindy Abrams, of suburban Cincinnati’s Harrison, and Sharon Ray, of Wadsworth.
All House Democrats present voted “no” on the override, led by House Minority Leader Dani Isaacson, of Cincinnati. Seven House Democrats were absent: Former Minority Leader Allison Russo, of Upper Arlington, and Reps. Munira Abdullah, of Columbus; Rachel Baker and Karen Brownlee, both of Cincinnati; Chris Glassburn, of North Olmsted; Lauren McNally, of Youngstown; and Joe Miller, of Amherst.
Will last week’s veto-override help reduce the property-tax load Ohio’s homeowners and other property holders now shoulder? No.
And the fact that Speaker Matt Huffman, a Lima Republican considered by many bystanders to be the House’s supremo, didn’t muster the necessary votes for any other veto-overrides last week was ... interesting.
If a Republican Ohio House can barely buck a lame-duck Ohio governor, you have to wonder what the fight card might look like in, say, 2027, when it’s possible Upper Arlington Republican Vivek Ramaswamy could be DeWine’s successor. Ramaswamy, in his relentless quest to reach the White House, wouldn’t likely be in the mood to be detoured from the road to Washington by small-town General Assembly Republicans.
---
Former state Rep. Jack Cera, a Bellaire Democrat whose life was claimed by cancer on July 13, at age 69, was a class act – a constructive and thoughtful officeholder who like so many other Southeast Ohioans of both parties in the legislature, worked endlessly to advance the people and communities of Appalachian Ohio.
Cera served in Ohio’s House from 1983 through 1996, then from 2011 through 2020. He was a graduate of the Ivy League’s Brown University, but never, ever, forgot where he came from or the men and women back home. And Jack Cera was a gentleman. Ohio will be a poorer place without him.
Thomas Suddes is a former legislative reporter with The Plain Dealer in Cleveland and writes from Ohio University. You can reach him at tsuddes@gmail.com.
About the Author