Across Ohio, media outlets are taking note of what homeowners and farmers have realized for years. Not only is Ohio’s job growth lagging its neighboring states, ranking 38th in the nation, but property taxes are also increasing under Governor Kasich. These facts poke serious holes in Kasich’s two major justifications for his reelection: a competitive economy and lower taxes.
Toledo Blade: Local taxpayers bear burden of Ohio cuts: Part of Democrats’ criticism of Gov. John Kasich has been that his emphasis on tax cuts at the state level has pushed the burden onto local taxpayers. But a study released Monday said this shift has been happening for decades. The study by the Education Tax Policy Institute conducted for three statewide public school administrator organizations showed that while more recent policies will exacerbate the trend, decisions made decades ago that may make sense at the state level have led schools to depend more and more on local homeowners and farmers to pay their bills.
Cleveland Plain Dealer: Property tax bills have shifted from businesses to homeowners and farmers, Ohio’s school advocacy groups say: Homeowners and farmers have to pay an increasing share of Ohio’s property taxes, while businesses have seen their share decrease over the years, a new report from the state’s school advocacy groups says. From the 1970s until the early 1990s, businesses paid a little over half of the property taxes in the state, according to the new report by the Education Tax Policy Institute in Columbus. But that burden has shifted significantly since then.
Columbus Dispatch: Policy changes shift tax burden to homeowners and farmers: Ohio homeowners and farmers are paying more in property taxes these days, but not just because schools have been asking for more money. Policy changes over the years that have reduced the property taxes paid by Ohio businesses might give the state a friendlier tax code for employers. But the series of revisions has had another effect: a dramatic shift in who is paying the local taxes that fund Ohio schools.
Akron Beacon Journal: How the property tax burden has shifted: State lawmakers have worked the past decade to reduce the tax burden on businesses. The commercial activity tax generates significantly less revenue than the levies it replaced. The tangible personal property tax on business inventory has been eliminated, and utilities have gained substantial relief from property taxes. Over the weekend, the Columbus Dispatch highlighted a troubling consequence of these steps: The property tax burden has shifted dramatically, Ohio homeowners and farmers paying a much larger share. The Dispatch reported on a new analysis from Howard Fleeter, an economist and longtime student of school funding in the state. His work shows that in 1991, homeowners and farmers paid 47.5 percent of the $4.4 billion in property tax revenue that flowed to schools. By 2011, the share expanded to 70 percent of $8.75 billion.
WOSU: Ohio Shifts Tax Burden From Businesses To Homeowners, Farmers: A new study shows Ohio’s property taxes have been shifting from business to residential and agricultural for 35 years. And it’s a shift that’s accelerated over the last 20 years. Ohio State University’s Howard Fleeter did the study for the Education Tax Policy Institute. And he says one conclusion for homeowners is clear. “If they feel like their tax bill has been going up, it’s not an illusion. It has been,” Fleeter says.
WCBE: Study: State Tax Burden Shifting From Businesses To Property Owners: A new study shows Ohio’s tax burden has been shifting from businesses to property owners for 35 years. The shift has accelerated over the last 20 years. ML Schultze of member station WKSU in Kent reports. Ohio State University’s Howard Fleeter did the study for the Education Tax Policy Institute. And he says one conclusion for homeowners is clear. “If they feel like their tax bill has been going up, it’s not an illusion. It has been.” His study shows that’s both in terms of total dollars and in the share of property taxes paid by homeowners compared to businesses. Homeowners and farmers were paying about 48 percent of the property taxes in 1975. That was up to more than 70 percent in 2011.
Ideastream.org: Study: Businesses Increasingly Shed Property Tax Burden: A new study shows as Ohio’s tax policy has changed in recent years, homeowners and farmers are bearing more of the tax burden. Damon Asbury with the Ohio School Board Association says a study by his organization and two others representing school leaders shows the tax burden has shifted away from businesses.
Gongwer: Report Finds School Property Tax Shift From Businesses To Homeowners: Homeowners and farmers are now paying a much bigger chunk of the bill for public schools than they were two decades ago since state policies have eased the tax burden for businesses, according to a report several statewide education groups issued Monday. In 1991, Class I real property taxes comprised 47.5% of Ohio’s total school property tax bill, but by 2011 the portion that residential and agricultural property owners paid swelled to 69.9%, according to the Education Tax Policy Institute study.