“It was a Hail Mary to try and get this thing in by July 1, but why not try,” she said. “We’ve mobilized so many people across Ohio and the beauty of this is that it’s a bi-partisan issue. I think that’s catching everyone by surprise.”
She said they are not letting up, they will continue to collect signatures until they get enough and should make the ballot next year, with the constitutional amendment question that would abolish property taxes, that pay for local services like schools and emergency services.
The citizens group based in Cuyahoga County gathered roughly 1,800 signatures — 1,000 were required by law — to get the petition to Attorney General Dave Yost last month. He approved the request on May 9. To get it on the November ballot they needed signatures from voters in at least 44 of Ohio’s 88 counties in short order.
“This is not going to stop until we’re on the ballot,” Blackmarr said. “We’re in it for the long haul and we’re in it for the citizens of Ohio.”
Many, many Ohioans are struggling under high property tax hikes and the group, largely seniors, were fed up with the General Assembly’s failure to pass any significant reforms.
The House and Senate approved a negotiated budget early this morning — that now needs final approval from both houses and the governor — that includes a few modest reforms. The budget limits school district carryover to 40%, eliminates replacement levies and gives local budget commissioners more power to trim bloated budgets.
Former Ashtabula County Auditor David Thomas was handpicked by House leadership to shepherd property tax reform this year. He submitted a $3.5 billion tax saving bill that would have erased unvoted inside millage for all governmental entities and schools except townships — they don’t have any other significant income streams — but it didn’t make it in the budget.
He said he never thought the group would get the signatures in time for November, but their efforts have been significant.
“I told folks I’m not worried about this year, I am worried about next year,” he said. “They’ve been very helpful in helping us push these initiatives. Taking a step back, what we’re passing today, three years ago was impossible.”
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