The Ohio House is scheduled to come back into session Monday, with Republicans set to override a handful of Gov. Mike DeWine’s 67 budget vetoes. The vetoes expected to be overridden are property tax reduction measures in the new two-year state budget.
DeWine said he doesn’t have a count on how he thinks the vote will end up Monday. He said he had good reasons for his vetoes.
“I explained the reasons and the rationale for my vetoes in the veto message and well, you know, we will see what happens," DeWine said.
When asked whether he would like to send a message to lawmakers before the vote, DeWine said he doesn’t have much to say to lawmakers beyond what he’s already said.
“I’ve made my position clear on it. They are going to do what they think is best," DeWine said. "It’s part of our process set in the constitution of Ohio. You are seeing that play out so we will see what happens on Monday."
The House plans to take up three of DeWine's four property-tax related vetoes. One measure DeWine vetoed would allow county budget commissions to reduce voter approved levies. Another would require emergency and other levies to be used when calculating the 20-mill floor that is the effective tax rate. And a third would limit districts’ power to ask for emergency levies.
There is one property tax reduction veto the House isn't expected to override, at least at this time. It would limit of property tax that districts can hold at 40% of their operating budgets, with the rest refunded to taxpayers. Republican leaders said that provision would provide immediate property tax relief but many public school districts have said would send them into financial chaos. They warned the provision could lead to more levies.
Lawmakers have until the end of 2026 to override the vetoes. But majority Republican lawmakers in the House want to come back, off summer vacation, to immediately take action on some property tax reduction measures, even though the Senate hasn't set a date to do the same. Republicans who want to override the vetoes say timing is important so Ohioans can have lower property tax bills in January.
