CINCINNATI — The Ohio Attorney General's Office has taken a significant step toward addressing historically high property tax bills, according to a press release from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost's office.
On Friday, the office announced that it had accepted the title and summary of a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at adding a new Section 14 to Article XII of the state constitution. This proposed amendment seeks to abolish taxes on real property and prohibit any future taxes on real property.
The Attorney General's Office received the petition on May 1, and their role in the process is to determine whether the submitted language "fairly and truthfully" summarizes the constitutional amendment or proposed statute.
“Having carefully examined this submission, I conclude that the title and summary are fair and truthful statements of the proposed constitutional amendment,” stated a response letter sent to the petitioners.
Homeowners in Butler County and Hamilton County have been vocal about the need to abolish taxes on real property.
In March, Butler County residents urged Ohio legislators to amend state tax rules to provide relief from skyrocketing property taxes. Data released by the Hamilton County Auditor’s Office in 2024 revealed that the average property tax bill increased by 10%, while property values surged by 34%.
The next step in the process is for the Ohio Ballot Board to certify the proposal. Following this, petitioners will need to gather signatures from registered voters equal to at least 10% of the votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election. Signatures must come from voters in at least 44 of Ohio's 88 counties, with each of those counties requiring at least 5% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election.
If the Ohio Secretary of State's Office verifies the signatures at least 65 days before the election, the proposed amendment will be placed on the ballot for the next regular or general election that occurs 125 days after the petition was filed.
