DeWine’s warning
DeWine said wiping out property taxes statewide would blow a multibillion‑dollar hole in funding for schools and local governments, money lawmakers would have to replace with other revenue sources. He argued that Ohioans would likely see sharply higher income and sales taxes to make up the difference, suggesting combined sales tax rates could climb into the “17, 18, 19, 20 percent” range on everyday purchases. “It would just be devastating to all kinds of local government, starting with schools, but also police and fire,” DeWine said, calling the proposal a “huge threat” to Ohio’s financial stability.
Background on the amendment effort
The warning comes as a grassroots campaign works to place an amendment on the November 2026 ballot that would abolish all property taxes in Ohio. Supporters say homeowners have been squeezed by surging property values that translated into steep tax spikes, and they argue residents should not risk losing their homes because they cannot afford rising tax bills. Brian Massey, who formed the committee to abolish property taxes, contends the current system is broken and that eliminating property taxes would force a fundamental rethink of how schools and local services are funded.
How much money is at stake
Property taxes currently generate roughly 24 billion dollars a year in Ohio, according to figures cited in DeWine’s warning. About 13 to 14 billion dollars of that goes to public schools, with the remaining 10 billion dollars funding services such as fire protection and other local levies. DeWine said that if voters eliminated that revenue stream, “the legislature at that point would have to figure out where does that money come from,” likely by shifting the burden onto higher sales and income taxes.
Supporters dispute need for tax hikes
Backers of the amendment insist that massive tax increases are not inevitable if property taxes are abolished. Massey argues that instead of raising sales or income taxes, the state could dramatically reduce the size of government, trim administrative costs and restructure how services are delivered. “We’re not anarchists. We’re going to pay for” essential services, he said, adding that the goal is to change how they are funded, not to dismantle them.
Recent property tax changes add context
DeWine’s warning comes on the heels of a sweeping property‑tax overhaul he signed late last year, which is projected to cut expected future property tax increases by as much as 3 billion dollars over three years. That package caps some automatic tax hikes tied to rising property values and expands an owner‑occupancy credit for homeowners, while shifting more of the burden onto landlords and other non‑owner‑occupied residential properties. School officials and local leaders have already raised concerns that those reforms could strain their budgets, and DeWine now argues that abolishing property taxes outright would push the system from strain into crisis.
What happens next
To reach the 2026 ballot, the amendment’s supporters must gather hundreds of thousands of valid voter signatures from across Ohio, an effort that will test their organization and resources. If the measure qualifies, voters would face a high‑stakes choice between eliminating a deeply unpopular tax and risking higher levies elsewhere or preserving the current property‑tax‑based model that funds schools and local services. DeWine has made clear which side he is on, urging Ohioans to look beyond the promise of lower property bills and consider the tradeoffs: “If that passed, we would be in a huge crisis in the state of Ohio.”