Ohio House Republicans Override Gov. DeWine’s Veto: New Restrictions on School Levies Explained

Ohio House Republicans have recently overridden a veto from Governor Mike DeWine. They claim this move will help homeowners with property tax relief. However, local educators are concerned that this decision will hurt schools.

Dan Heintz, a member of the Cleveland Heights School Board, expressed worry that the override takes away local decision-making power. “They have basically taken the local voters out of the decision-making tree,” he said.

The specific provision at the center of this override relates to school district property tax levies. DeWine had vetoed restrictions that would limit the ability of school boards to place emergency levies or increase current ones. This means that school districts will struggle to raise funds, leading to potential cuts in programs, teaching staff, and even school closures. Heintz noted, “We’re looking at cutting programming, cutting the number of teachers, and also closing buildings.”

Leading the override, State Rep. David Thomas emphasized the need for property tax relief. He stated that current tax tools are confusing and make it harder for homeowners.

However, some advocates, like Beth Blackmarr from Citizens for Property Tax Reform, argue these changes don’t provide real relief. She complains that the rising property taxes are unsustainable, saying, “We can’t live like this anymore.”

Despite the successful override of the school-related veto, GOP leadership revealed they lacked sufficient votes for other, potentially more impactful overrides. One of those would have allowed counties to draw funds from schools, complicating the funding process.

The Senate still needs to review the override. If approved, some advocates may be disappointed since the measure does not directly reduce property taxes but instead makes raising them more difficult.

In a similar context, a recent survey indicated that nearly 60% of Ohioans feel overwhelmed by rising property taxes, emphasizing the challenges many face. As Ohio moves forward with these measures, the implications for both homeowners and schools remain unclear.

For more details on these developments, you can check sources like WEWS, which cover state political news.

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