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Portage County officials warn property‑tax abolition could force steep sales‑tax hikes, deep service cuts
Summary
At a public "Coffee with Commissioners," Portage County officials outlined how a citizen initiative to abolish property taxes could eliminate local revenue for public safety, senior services, roads and libraries and could require large sales‑tax increases to close gaps, officials said.
Commissioner Sabrina Christian Bennett warned residents that a citizen‑led initiative to abolish property taxes could strip essential local funding and prompt steep sales‑tax increases and service cuts.
County commissioners used the session to walk through analysis of the proposal, noting the initiative group "Axe Ohio" reported collecting signatures and could put a repeal on an upcoming ballot. Bennett told attendees the county would lose a substantial share of revenue currently dedicated to public safety, senior services, developmental‑disability supports, roads, public health and libraries.
Bennett said property‑tax revenue is difficult to replace at the local level. "It would mean layoffs of more than 32,000 police officers, firefighters, paramedics, dispatchers,…
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