Panelists share their sides of the property tax debate
NEW PHILADELPHIA – Panelists at Thursday’s property tax forum at the Tuscarawas County Public Library did not have an answer for what could replace property taxes as the main source of funding for most local government agencies.
Leonard Gilbert from the Committee to Abolish Property Tax says governments would have to reprioritize and cut spending if his group’s efforts are successful.
Other panelists said wiping out property taxes without an alternative would mean wiping out some public services and crippling local municipalities and school districts.
Randy Lucas, Superintendent of the East Central Ohio Educational Service Center, said local school districts rely on property taxes for anywhere from 40 percent to 90 percent of their funding.
Jason Thornton with the Tuscarawas County Veteran Services Office says his agency is 100 percent property tax funded and serves 5,000 veterans helping them access tens of millions of dollars in benefits each year.
Captain Adam Fisher with the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office says 10 village police departments in the county would be eliminated without property taxes.
New Philadelphia Fire Chief Jim Parrish says without property taxes, the city would have to sell its fire station among other cuts.
Dennison Mayor Greg DiDonato says residents already control local property taxes at the ballot. He says voter-approved property tax levies fund ambulance services.
County Auditor Larry Lindberg says alternatives like sales tax and income tax have drawbacks. He said if the county switched from property tax to sales tax, the sales tax rate would be 15.5 percent. School districts would need income tax rates of 2.8 to 4.4 percent to replace property tax. Townships are unable to enforce a sales tax or an income tax.
Lindberg says sales taxes and income taxes would shift all funding responsibilities onto wage earners.
Gilbert advocated for self-governance and government spending cuts.
The group did not get enough signatures to put an amendment on this November’s ballot. Organizers now say they are aiming for November 2027.
