DeWine Signs Ohio Property Tax Overhaul Into Law, Capping Growth and Expanding County Control

Overview

• House Bill 335 caps revenue growth within existing millage to inflation, and House Bill 309 lets county budget commissions reduce collections from previously voter‑approved levies after the first year.
• House Bill 124 increases county auditors’ authority over property valuations, and House Bill 129 curbs school revenue growth by changing 20‑mill floor calculations and restricting new fixed‑sum levies.
• House Bill 186 creates inflation‑based tax credits following recent reappraisals and revises rollbacks by ending the non‑owner‑occupied discount and increasing the owner‑occupied rollback.
• Supporters, including House Republicans and the Buckeye Institute, project up to roughly $3 billion in homeowner savings, while school leaders warn the changes could force staffing and program cuts.
• Organizers of a constitutional amendment to abolish property taxes say they have met the 44‑county distribution threshold and are aiming to file about 620,000 signatures to surpass the roughly 415,000 valid needed for the November 2026 ballot.