House Ways and Means panel adopts substitute for property-tax overhaul, 9-4

Columbus — The Ohio House Ways and Means Committee on June 18 voted 9-4 to adopt a substitute amendment to House Bill 335, a large package intended to limit unvoted property tax growth and change how some local levies are calculated. Vice Chair Thomas moved the amendment, described to the committee as eliminating unvoted inside millage for counties, cities, villages and schools (with an exception for townships), raising certain park-district voted levy caps to 3 mills, and waiving the 20-mill school funding floor for two years.

Committee action came after roughly two hours of proponent, interested-party and opponent testimony from a broad cross-section of stakeholders, including tax-policy groups, county auditors and commissioners, municipal leaders, law-enforcement representatives and school officials. Opponents warned the committee the change would remove hundreds of millions — and potentially more than $3 billion statewide — in stable local revenue and could require immediate cuts to public-safety, education and local services unless replacement revenue or transition support is provided.

Why this matters: The substitute seeks to curb what supporters called “unvoted” increases that flow from property-value growth under Ohio’s current calculations; opponents said the sudden removal of inside millage would be disruptive to local governments that rely on that steady revenue. Proponents argued the proposal restores voter control and limits unexpected tax bill spikes tied to rising valuations.

What the substitute would do and…