Mayor Begany calls Ohio school-funding 'unfair,' warns petition to eliminate property tax would hit schools and services

Mayor Joe Begany used part of his State of the City address to sharply critique Ohio’s school-funding system and to raise concerns about a circulating petition to eliminate property taxes. "Our schools, suffering with an unfair funding system ... a diversion of funds from public education," Begany said, arguing that the flow of dollars to privatized voucher programs is forcing districts back to voters for additional funding and disadvantaging public schools.

Begany said the state legislature should be accountable for funding priorities and referenced historical court rulings in discussing the state's underfunding of public education. He warned that a petition seeking elimination of property taxes in Ohio could have wide-ranging local effects: "If this passes ... our schools, our libraries, our fire departments, and our city will be impacted," he said, urging residents to get involved while the petition proceeds.

The mayor framed the funding issue as one part of broader civic responsibilities: he called for community support for students and teachers, encouraged regular school attendance, and said strengthening local engagement is important even if the state changes funding formulas. No formal action or resolution on the matter was taken during the address; the remarks were presented as the mayor’s policy critique and a call to civic engagement.

Begany also addressed immigration and community inclusion later in the address, invoking Martin Niemöller to argue the city should protect the rights of all residents and avoid approaches that target groups during periods of political or social tension.

The comments raise issues that depend on state-level policy and potential ballot outcomes; the city’s next formal steps (if any) were not specified in the address.