Amid property tax scrutiny, OH public schools say communities benefit

By Nadia Ramlagan

Across Ohio, more residents are seeing their property taxes increase, in part due to escalating home values and changes in state tax policy over the past two decades.

Local public school districts said reforms are needed to ensure community investment in education continues while vulnerable residents also get the respite they need.

Paul Imhoff, director of governmental relations for the Buckeye Association of School Administrators, said targeted tax relief makes sense for those who are on a fixed income and are struggling to pay property taxes.

"We are saying that in a time when the state has been spending less and less as a percentage, we actually need the state to step up and help those residents who need help the most," Imhoff explained. "Again, most notably our senior citizens."

He added the state could step up to offset any reduction in revenue from lowered local property taxes. However, some are seeking more extreme solutions. There is an ongoing grassroots effort to get a constitutional amendment on the November ballot which would eliminate all property taxes.

Earlier this month, dozens of advocacy groups, unions, local libraries and other institutions across the state formed Ohioans to Protect Public Services, a statewide coalition opposing efforts to abolish property taxes in Ohio.

Imhoff believes access to a high-quality education sets the foundation for a strong future workforce and economy.

"Eight out of 10 children in the state of Ohio attend a traditional public school," Imhoff pointed out. "We educate almost every student in the state of Ohio."

According to a report from the Ohio Education Policy Institute, local tax revenues across the state have not kept pace with inflation. At the same time, state spending on public schools has declined. Since 2002, Ohio has fallen from 15th to 20th nationally in per-pupil spending on K-12 education.