The Committee to Abolish Ohio Property Taxes has announced a strategic shift in its campaign to eliminate property taxes in the state. Initially aiming for the November 2026 ballot, the group will now target the November 2027 election. This decision was made after the group, led by Brian Massie, realized it would not meet the July 1 deadline to submit the required number of voter signatures.
Signature Collection Challenges
Massie explained in a podcast interview that the group had aimed to collect 620,000 signatures, significantly more than the 413,488 legally required, to account for any invalid signatures. However, they fell short, having announced in April that they had gathered 320,000 signatures. With an additional year, the group plans to exceed their previous target, although Massie did not disclose the current number of signatures collected.
Massie emphasized the importance of not revealing too much information to their opponents, stating, “We the people have declared war on our politicians at the state level. When you are at war, you never give the enemy any intel.”
Concerns and Opposition
The proposed amendment has raised concerns among state leaders in government, business, and organized labor. They worry that abolishing property taxes, which generate $21 billion annually, could severely impact schools and local government services. In response, a coalition named Ohioans to Protect Public Services has been actively opposing the amendment. Spokesperson Jen Detwiler stated, “Ohioans deserve real property tax reform, not a constitutional amendment that wipes out more than $21 billion in local funding with no plan for what comes next.”
Future Prospects
With the amendment now potentially appearing on the November 2027 ballot, it will coincide with a period when there are no statewide candidate elections, which typically results in lower voter turnout. However, this could change if other significant issues, such as a potential redistricting reform amendment targeted by state Democrats, appear on the ballot.
Massie and his supporters are debating whether the delay will benefit or hinder their cause. “I can’t worry about things that I can’t control,” Massie said. “[We’re] just messengers for the people, what’s in their best interest.”
Original reporting: Signal Cleveland — read the source article.
