Ohio Lawmakers Scramble on Property Taxes as Grassroots Push to Abolish Them Gains Steam

Ohio homeowners are sounding the alarm as property taxes surge, pushing families—especially seniors and fixed-income households—toward the brink. In response, state lawmakers are racing to pass a package of reforms meant to calm the backlash and deliver relief. But critics say the proposals are reactive and piecemeal, leaving the core problem intact: a system that can price you out of a home you already own. At the same time, a growing grassroots movement is organizing to abolish property taxes entirely, arguing that real ownership shouldn’t require perpetual payments to the state. This article explains the flurry at the Statehouse, the case for abolition, and what Dayton-area homeowners should watch next.

Two Paths, One Crisis: Ohio’s Property Tax Revolt Reaches a Breaking Point

The Statehouse Scramble: “We’ll Pass Them This Month.”

In recent weeks, the Ohio House advanced multiple property tax reform bills to the Senate. Senate leadership promised swift action—signaling that several measures could be approved “before we’re done this month. It’s a telling timeline: after two years of eye-popping reappraisal increases, lawmakers are moving fast to show they’re listening. The question for homeowners from Dayton to Kettering isn’t whether something will pass—it’s whether the changes will truly slow the tax bills arriving in their mailboxes.

What’s on the Table: Bills Moving Through the Senate

HB 124 — “Flip the Script” on Valuations

County auditors reappraise properties on a six-year cycle and adjust values at the triennial update. Under HB 124, the burden of proof shifts away from local auditors and onto state tax officials in valuation disputes—giving local knowledge greater weight and aiming for a fairer, more accurate process.

HB 129 — Reworking the 20-Mill Floor

Ohio reduces certain tax rates to keep levy revenue steady as home values rise, but school funding can’t fall below the 20-mill floor. HB 129 would count more levies toward that floor, creating room for rates to drop further in districts stuck at 20 mills. Supporters say it offers relief; school leaders worry it could make homeowners “pay more for the same” revenue if state rollback support isn’t restored.

HB 309 — Letting Budget Commissions Trim “Excess” Levies

HB 309 authorizes county budget commissions (auditor, treasurer, prosecutor) to reduce voted levies deemed “unnecessary or excessive.” Critics call it “fundamentally undemocratic,” arguing it could override voter decisions—even on renewals—without a stronger safe harbor. Even some pro-tax-cut voices urged guardrails so cuts don’t undercut the levies’ original purposes.

HB 186 & HB 335 — Capping Millage Growth to Inflation

A pair of bills would cap growth for both “outside” (voted) and “inside” (constitutional) millage at the rate of inflation. Proponents say this addresses the “single largest unvoted tax increase” and estimate statewide homeowner savings around $700 million. Detractors caution that Ohio’s broader tax mix—low income taxes for high earners but relatively high property and sales taxes—needs a comprehensive re-balance, not just caps.

Why This Is Happening Now

Many counties saw double-digit valuation jumps during the last cycle. For retirees in Oakwood, new families in Beavercreek, and landlords in West Dayton, the shock was the same: higher assessed values translated into higher bills, especially in districts at the 20-mill floor where rates couldn’t fall enough to offset rising values. The legislature isn’t just tinkering; it’s responding to a legitimate affordability crisis that’s been building since the pandemic-era housing surge.

Local Votes Show the Split: “Yes” on a Dayton Hospital Levy, “No” on a Jefferson Twp. Income Tax

On the same ballot Ohioans saw legislative promises of relief, Dayton voters approved a 1-mill property tax levy (Issue 9) to fund the construction and operation of a new public hospital in West Dayton—projected to raise roughly $2 million annually for 10 years. See reporting from WHIO and Dayton Daily News. Meanwhile, Jefferson Township Local Schools’ 1% earned income tax levy failed—roughly 60% against and 40% for—despite leaders arguing it was needed to retain teachers. Coverage via WYSO and Dayton 24/7 Now.

These outcomes underscore a core tension: voters will tax themselves for targeted, tangible community benefits—like access to healthcare in West Dayton—while resisting broad, open-ended revenue measures tied to household income. That tension mirrors the statewide debate: targeted fixes vs. structural overhaul.

The Grassroots Countermovement: Abolish Property Taxes

While the Statehouse pursues incremental relief, a citizen-led coalition is rallying behind the boldest demand of all: abolish property taxes in Ohio. The organization behind Axohtax.com argues that if you must pay the government each year to keep your home, true ownership doesn’t exist. Their proposed path replaces property taxes with alternative revenue (e.g., consumption-based or flat-rate models) while preserving essential services. It’s a sweeping realignment that has captured the energy of homeowners who feel reforms won’t fix the core problem.

Why Abolition Resonates

The abolition message is simple and powerful—especially for long-time Dayton homeowners on fixed incomes. Property taxes are due regardless of income or cash flow, and they rise even when nothing about your home has changed. For investors and small landlords, year-over-year unpredictability complicates budgeting, undermines affordability goals, and ultimately hits renters through pass-through costs. Abolitionists contend a consumption-based model would better align payment with ability to pay, while also eliminating the fear of being “taxed out” of a paid-off home.

Are Lawmakers Acting from Strategy—or Pressure?

The rush to pass multiple bills “this month” reads like crisis management, not a comprehensive blueprint. Without structural reform, Ohio will continue to lean heavily on property and sales taxes while keeping income taxes comparatively low at the top end—a three-legged stool increasingly out of balance. Even if these bills pass, the engine that propelled valuations upward remains. Homeowners in Montgomery, Greene, and Warren counties will ask: are we protected from the next spike, or did we just get a one-time pressure release?

What This Means for Dayton-Area Homeowners

Short term: If caps and counting rules change, some Dayton-area taxpayers could see moderated increases or small reductions relative to what they would have paid. Relief will vary widely by school district and levy mix. Medium term: If valuations jump again, caps may slow the growth but won’t eliminate it—especially where inside millage or the 20-mill floor still bite. Long term: The abolition movement is likely to grow if homeowners feel incremental fixes don’t restore predictability and security.

How to Prepare (Practical Steps)

1) Appeal your valuation during the open window—especially if your home has unique conditions the mass appraisal missed. HB 124 could make local context matter more.
2) Audit your levies: Know which levies affect your bill and whether your district sits at or near the 20-mill floor.
3) Engage locally: School boards, city councils, and county budget commissions will make decisions that matter more if HB 309 passes. OR visit Ingram Insurance Group at 733 Salem Ave. Dayton, OH 45406 to sign the petition to Abolish Property Taxes.
4) Follow the legislation: The details—definitions of “excess,” inflation measures, and timing—will determine real relief.

The Collision Course Ahead

No matter what the Senate passes, the public’s expectations have shifted. Homeowners want stability, predictability, and true ownership. If the reforms don’t deliver, the abolition banner will only get bigger. Whether you’re in Centerville weighing retirement decisions or in East Dayton trying to keep a first home, one reality cuts through the noise: a tax system that can change the cost of staying in your home by double-digits in a single cycle will never feel fair—or safe.

If you’re interested in signing the petition, visit https://axohtax.com

Bottom Line

Ohio’s leaders can pass reforms this month, but the real reform may be happening outside the Statehouse. The abolition movement is the expression of a deeper demand: that the cost of staying in your home be knowable, manageable, and truly compatible with ownership. Whether the legislature’s package calms that demand—or fuels it—will be clear when the next round of tax bills hits.

Need a second set of eyes on your escrow or budget?

We help Ohio homeowners and landlords make smart insurance decisions that align with changing tax realities. Call (937) 741-5100, email contact@insuredbyingram.com, or visit www.insuredbyingram.com. Based in Dayton and serving clients across Ohio

VISIT INGRAM INSURANCE TODAY TO SIGN THE PETITION TO ABOLISH PROPERTY TAXES

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Ohio Lawmakers Scramble to Tame Property Tax Crisis as Citizens Rally to Abolish It Altogether