Ohio's Property Tax Crisis - Senator Willis Blackshear Jr., Breaks It Down! | Repair The Roof Podcast

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In this podcast episode, State Senator Willis Blackshear discusses the ongoing controversy surrounding property taxes in Ohio. He explains the funding sources for property taxes, the current repeal efforts, and the legislative actions taken to address rising property taxes. The conversation also covers the implications of the homestead exemption, the balance between income tax reductions and property tax relief, and practical steps for individuals to reduce their property taxes. Additionally, the senator shares insights on local government funding challenges and the potential role of technology in improving government services.

Ohio Property Taxes Are Reaching a Breaking Point—What Homeowners Need to Know Before the Next Big Decision

Property taxes are rising faster than many household budgets can keep up—and the debate over what to do about it is becoming impossible to ignore.

For many Ohio homeowners, opening a property tax bill has become a moment of frustration.

The concern isn't limited to retirees living on fixed incomes. Business owners, working families, and long-time homeowners across the state are all feeling the pressure of rising assessments and increasing costs. As grocery bills, healthcare expenses, insurance premiums, and everyday living costs continue climbing, property taxes have become one more financial burden competing for household dollars.

At the same time, a growing movement is pushing for something that once seemed unthinkable: eliminating property taxes entirely in Ohio. That proposal has sparked intense debate among lawmakers, local governments, school districts, and taxpayers.

The question is no longer whether property taxes are an issue.

The question is what happens next.

Why Property Taxes Have Become Such a Hot Topic

State Senator Willis Blackshear recently discussed the growing property tax controversy and the frustration many Ohio residents are experiencing. According to Blackshear, homeowners increasingly feel as though they are being taxed out of properties they worked hard to purchase and maintain.

That frustration is understandable.

Many property owners have seen significant increases in their property valuations over the last several years. Higher valuations often translate into larger tax bills, even when household income hasn't increased at the same pace.

For some families, the increase feels especially unfair because property taxes are often disconnected from current cash flow.

A homeowner may have lived in the same house for decades. Their income may remain relatively stable. Yet their property tax obligation can rise substantially because of market appreciation.

This creates a growing affordability challenge that lawmakers can no longer ignore.

The Hidden Reality Most People Don't Realize

One of the most important points raised during the discussion is that property taxes fund far more than most people realize.

When homeowners think about property taxes, they often focus on the amount they owe.

What they don't always see is where those dollars go.

Property tax revenue helps fund:

  • Public schools
  • Police departments
  • Fire protection services
  • Libraries
  • Public health programs
  • Road maintenance
  • Parks and recreation
  • Various county services

In fact, more than 60% of property tax revenue in many areas supports local school districts.

This creates a difficult balancing act.

Homeowners want relief from rising tax bills. Communities still need essential services. Schools still require funding. Emergency responders still need resources.

Any meaningful reform must address both sides of that equation.

The Proposal That Could Change Everything

Perhaps the most surprising development is the ongoing effort to place a measure on the ballot that would eliminate property taxes in Ohio altogether.

Supporters argue that homeowners deserve relief from what they see as an increasingly burdensome system.

Critics argue that eliminating property taxes would create enormous funding gaps for local governments and school districts.

The challenge is straightforward:

If property taxes disappear, the revenue must be replaced somehow.

That replacement could come through:

  • Higher income taxes
  • Higher sales taxes
  • Alternative local taxes
  • New state funding mechanisms

The debate isn't simply about whether property taxes should exist.

It's about determining which funding source is most sustainable and most equitable for Ohio residents.

The Surprising Numbers Behind the Debate

One of the more eye-opening insights from the conversation involved estimates regarding replacement revenue.

According to projections discussed during the interview, replacing property tax revenue entirely could require substantial increases in other forms of taxation.

Estimates suggest:

  • Sales tax rates could potentially rise from 5.75% to as high as 15%–18%.
  • Income tax rates could potentially rise from 2.75% to approximately 11%–15%.

While these figures represent projections rather than guaranteed outcomes, they illustrate the magnitude of the challenge facing policymakers.

The reality is simple.

Property taxes may be unpopular, but they currently provide a stable source of funding for local services.

Replacing that revenue would require major structural changes elsewhere.

Why Stability Matters More Than Most People Think

One of the most overlooked aspects of the property tax conversation is predictability.

Local governments rely heavily on stable funding streams.

Unlike sales taxes and income taxes, property tax revenue tends to remain relatively consistent regardless of short-term economic conditions.

That's important because many government expenses don't disappear during economic downturns.

Communities still need:

  • Police protection
  • Fire services
  • Snow removal
  • Road repairs
  • Public health services

When economic activity slows, income tax collections and sales tax collections can fluctuate dramatically.

Property taxes often provide the financial stability that allows local governments to continue operating during uncertain periods.

This is one reason many policymakers remain cautious about proposals that would completely eliminate the current system.

Legislative Efforts Already Underway

The good news is that lawmakers are not ignoring the issue.

Several proposals have already been introduced or passed in an effort to address rising property tax concerns.

Some of these measures focus on valuation methods.

Others seek to modify funding formulas.

Several proposals attempt to provide targeted relief to homeowners without dramatically disrupting local government funding.

While opinions differ regarding how effective these reforms may be, they demonstrate growing recognition that change is needed.

The challenge is finding solutions that provide meaningful relief without creating unintended consequences.

The Homestead Exemption Could Become a Bigger Part of the Solution

One area receiving significant attention is Ohio's Homestead Exemption program.

This program provides property tax relief to qualifying homeowners, particularly seniors and certain disabled individuals.

However, concerns have emerged regarding current income eligibility limits.

As inflation continues pushing up the cost of living, some lawmakers believe existing thresholds no longer reflect today's economic realities.

Potential reforms could include:

  • Raising income limits
  • Expanding eligibility
  • Increasing available benefits

For homeowners who qualify, even modest changes could have a meaningful impact on annual property tax obligations.

A Proposal That Could Help Middle-Class Families

Another concept generating interest is a property tax "circuit breaker."

While the name may sound technical, the idea is relatively simple.

Under this approach, property tax burdens would be tied more closely to household income.

One proposal discussed would provide relief when property taxes exceed 5% of household income.

Supporters argue that this type of system better reflects a homeowner's actual ability to pay.

Rather than focusing solely on property values, it considers the financial realities facing families.

For many middle-income households, this could provide a more targeted form of relief than broad tax reductions.

The Opportunity Many Homeowners Miss

While policy debates continue, homeowners already have an important tool available today.

The property tax appeal process.

Many people assume their assessed value is final.

It isn't.

Property owners generally have the right to challenge valuations if they believe the assessment exceeds market value.

The discussion highlighted examples where property owners successfully appealed assessments and reduced their taxable value after presenting evidence.

Yet surprisingly few people take advantage of the process.

Some simply don't know it exists.

Others assume it will be too complicated or time-consuming.

The result is that many homeowners may be paying more than necessary without ever exploring their options.

The Communication Gap That Needs Attention

A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the disconnect between government processes and public awareness.

Many programs, appeals, exemptions, and relief opportunities already exist.

The problem is that many residents don't know about them.

That information gap can be costly.

Whether it's understanding appeal deadlines, learning about exemption eligibility, or staying informed about pending legislation, knowledge often becomes one of the most valuable tools homeowners have.

The more informed property owners become, the better equipped they are to make decisions and advocate for meaningful reform.

What Happens Next?

The property tax debate is far from over.

If a repeal proposal reaches the ballot, voters could be asked to make one of the most significant tax policy decisions in Ohio's recent history.

At the same time, lawmakers continue evaluating targeted reforms that may provide relief without completely restructuring local government funding.

Both approaches carry potential benefits.

Both involve tradeoffs.

What remains clear is that property taxes have moved from a routine budget issue to one of the state's most important public policy discussions.

For homeowners, business owners, retirees, and local communities alike, the outcome could shape Ohio's financial landscape for years to come.

The Bottom Line

Ohio homeowners are facing legitimate concerns about rising property taxes, affordability, and long-term financial stability.

At the same time, schools, local governments, and essential public services depend heavily on the revenue property taxes generate.

Finding the right balance won't be easy.

But understanding the issue is the first step.

As lawmakers continue debating reforms and voters prepare to evaluate future proposals, staying informed will be more important than ever. The decisions made over the next several years could affect not only your tax bill, but also the services, infrastructure, and community resources that Ohio families rely on every day.

Transcript: Prefer to Read — Click to Open


Ted (00:00.088)

Welcome, everybody, to today’s podcast. We have a special guest, State Senator Willis Blackshear, has agreed to chat with us briefly. We want to talk today about Ohio property taxes. You know, you probably are reading in the paper that there is an ongoing controversy with respect to the property taxes that we pay here in Ohio. And I thought we should get some insight.

About the repeal movement and about proposed changes and modifications that have already been adopted and maybe some future proposals that may be adopted in the future. So welcome Willis to the to the Yes. Thank you so much for having me. Glad to be here.

Career has developed over the last several years? Yeah, so born and raised in the city of Dayton, I attended college at Wright State University. I also went to go get my MBA from the Ohio State University. Started my career in local government. I started off at the Board of Elections, then I transitioned to the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office where I was the community engagement specialist.

And at that time, that was when the Memorial Day tornadoes actually happened. So we did a lot of work in the community to save homeowners money on their tax bills. And then I decided to run for state representative of the 39th house district. That was the city of Dayton in Jefferson Township. I won that election and then due to redistricting, the district then changed to the 38th House District, which was City Dayton.

Riverside, and then like a little part of Shuber Heights as well. Did that for two terms and then I decided to run for the Senate, which I currently represent right now. So Senate District Six is the district that I am proud to be the Senator for. Well, I know you’re really engaged in the community and you’re make yourself really accessible and do a lot of constituent services as well. And I can tell you from a personal standpoint, I’m very appreciative of your efforts. Yes, it’s an honor. Every day.

Ted (02:19.81)

Well, let’s talk about this property tax issue. Tell me, first of all, my understanding is that there has or is an ongoing effort to put on the ballot a repeal of all property taxes in the state of Ohio. What is the status of that effort? Do you know? Well, I think what I wanna do first is is to get people to understand exactly what property taxes fund because there is this repeal where, listen, I get it, people are

frustrated when they get their tax bills. And, you know, we’re running into situations where people are essentially getting taxed out of their homes. You worked hard to get this home. There’s no reason why you should be getting taxed out of your home. And that goes back to affordability, but we can touch on that here in a second. But with property taxes, you know, property taxes funds, over 60% of property tax funds actually go to school districts, which are already underfunded.

as we know from the DeRolf decision in ninety seven, which we still are trying to fix to this day. But then also too, when you think about police and fire, property tax dollars go towards that. county services, libraries, public health, road maintenance, as well as parks, this is where your property tax dollars are going towards. But as we’ve seen over the years, those costs have continued to rise. Now when you talk about affordability, property taxes is in that bucket.

Because when you have groceries that are already high, services that have become high, healthcare that have become high, as well as your property tax bill, and I may want to add student loan debt. You add all of that in the bucket, it makes people frustrated. So people look at ways in which they can cut costs. So now we have people who have gone around and are collecting signatures to actually put something on a ballot that would essentially do away with property taxes here in Ohio.

Now, the issue with that is is that when you cut something somewhere, you’re gonna have to pay for it somewhere else as well. So we’re gonna see those added costs because these services and and entities have to be funded somehow, some way. So what’s gonna happen is that we’re gonna see added costs another way outside of property taxes. So what is the current status of the petition effort? first of all, is the petitions that are being circulated intended to put it on the election this

Ted (04:44.5)

year this November? Yes. Is that what you’re hearing? The goal is for for those who are circulating petitions to put it on the ballot this year. And I think the method behind that is is because there will be a higher turnout of voters rather than it would have been for, let’s say, a a a off year election. So like next year, which will be a low turnout election, whereas this year, you know, you have all of the statewide and other offices who are up. They feel like it’s a

prime opportunity to get as many people out to support their effort. Now have you seen any legal opinions as to whether, from a legal perspective, whether whether this particular effort is or is not constitutional. That is, can you put something on the ballot that in fact repeals all of these local property taxes? Can that really happen or

Are we gonna end up if it is ultimately adopted or passed, are we gonna end up in court for years and years and years? So there actually are other states that have something similar to this. I don’t know the states off the top of my head, but there are other states, but then when you look at some of the other states, they have to get funding from other areas. So this isn’t something new, but it is become something that has been talked about not only here in Ohio, but nationwide.

as an issue. So this issue about the rise in property taxes and and its impact upon people, this has been around for a long time. What steps have you seen in Columbus in the state legislature over the last few years? What steps have been taken to try to address the ever increasing

Property taxes that everybody pays. Has have there been efforts, have there been measures adopted? And if so, what have we done so far? Yeah, so I will say there have been legislation that has been introduced, especially during my tenure at the state house. A lot of times this legislation hasn’t gone anywhere. And I think now we’re in a situation where we’re being more reactive besides being

Ted (07:01.934)

Proactive where now our backs are against the wall. So now efforts have to be made because we understand what’s coming down the pipe. So there have been a slew of bills that have been introduced and actually passed assigned into law from the legislature. Some that I’ve supported and others I did not, because I feel like it has not gone far enough. So for example, House Bill 124.

House Bill 124, which will require the Department of Taxation to use only data submitted by county auditors. This could lead to fluctuations in valuations, but it ultimately gives auditors increased control because we obviously believe that auditors know their county. And when it comes to evaluations, we feel like they’re best to, of course, know that. And I actually supported that one. We have House Bill 129. Now, these are bills that came through the legislature.

And went to the governor’s desk. So House Bill 129 basically it modifies the formula to calculate the lowest amount of guaranteed local property tax funding for school districts, by including additional types of levies that are currently excluded. Now, what this bill actually would do, it it means a slightly, and I want to I wanna pair it’s slightly lower tax for homeowners, but

It comes at a significant expense of less funding for our school districts in which these people live in, which we know our schools are underfunded. I have these conversations all the time with with individuals. You know, there are school districts that have to make some very, very, very uncomfortable cuts because they just don’t have the money. So even though it it it provides just a slight relief, it leaves our school districts essentially with less funding. Another one that I want to touch on, House Bill 309.

This would allow the county budget commission to lower the amount of voted levies. So, you know, we see the levies that are on a ballot year after year. Well, those levies are on a ballot because these organizations, these entities may need the extra funding. But if these levies are found to be excessive or unnecessary, basically the the county budget commission can say, hey, this is not what we’re gonna do. And it can act actually threaten the funding levels for.

Ted (09:22.102)

voter approved levy. So these are levies that people have voted on and they agreed to, which you already know how hard it is for levies to get passed. So this is something that voters have voted on. So now the county budget commission could essentially say, we’re not going to fund it at that or the what you all agree to is not.

what we’re going to continue to implement or give this funding to these entities. So that that’s just a few. We still have some some things that are like stalled that haven’t gone anywhere. You know, homestead exemption. You know, there are legisl there’s legislation to increase and expand homestead exemption because we understand for our seniors and those disabled homeowners, a lot of them are on fixed incomes. So we don’t want them to get taxed out of their homes. And then also two, this is a bill that I’m actually

very supportive of. It’s a property tax circuit breaker. So this would help low and middle income homeowners and renters when property taxes exceed 5% of household income. So that is currently in the Senate. And then one last thing that I want to mention because this has also been a big topic as well, data centers. So when data centers are coming into our communities, they’re getting a tax exempt, tax exemptions. So

Basically what legislation would do is it will repeal that tax exemption for these data centers, because we do feel like they should be paying if they should be paying their fair share if they want to do business in our communities. Let’s talk a little bit about the homestead exemption. That probably more than anything has a direct impact upon our clients. My recollection is that several years ago we modified the homestead exemption.

to make it make eligibility for the homestead exemption subject to a income cap. My recollection is, and I may have these numbers wrong, but I think he either had to be, was it 60, is it 65 and or disabled in order to be eligible for the homestead exemption? But they capped the income. I don’t remember the exact

Ted (11:36.33)

income level. Do you recall what it is? It seems to me it’s was somewhere around 40 so yeah it may be just a little less than that, but that that sounds around a ballpark right there. And I heard that there might be some effort to raise the income threshold maybe as high as seventy five thousand. Have you seen anything in that regard?

Yeah, so there there there is currently legislation around that. and and it just goes back to what I said. When you have individuals who are on fixed income, whereas everything else around them continues to rise, the cap in which we currently have it, it’s not sustainable. It’s not sustainable. So we have to ride raise that cap because we understand the cost of living continues to rise and you have inflation and things of that nature. So

that’s just one of those stall proposals that’s just currently just sitting in committee. You know, my recollection is that when they when they put in the income cap several years ago, they grandfathered everybody in who was on the homestead exemption previously so that the income caps don’t apply to all of those people who were on homestead exemption prior to the effective date of the legislation. But going forward, there is this income cap which is pretty low.

Yeah, I agree. I agree. I definitely believe that more should be done around that effort right there. Yeah, it seem it seems to me for my clients, increasing that income cap or doing away with it altogether sure would help and have an immediate impact upon all of my clients. Yeah. I agree. Like I said, you know, when you have people on fixed incomes or

You know, those who aren’t able to go back into the workforce, it just becomes a little difficult for them to to keep up with costs as everything keeps rising. You know, it’s kind of interesting to see on the one hand the proposal being made to try to limit or to adjust or to cap the amount of property taxes everybody is paying.

Ted (13:48.76)

Having said that, what I’ve seen come through the legislature over the last several years is actually a reduction of income tax, not only the income tax rate, but also through commercial activity tax, giving every small business owner a two hundred and fifty thousand dollar deduction or whatever the amount is. I don’t recall the exact amount. So while we’re while we’re trying to minimize property taxes, we are

significantly reducing income taxes, particularly for the higher income folks. And you know, I I say it all the time, you know, when you make cuts in one area, you’re gonna have to pay for it in another area. And I I think the frustration that I’ve heard from a lot of people is that they just want people to pay their fair share. That’s it.

You know, we don’t want it to be a situation where, you know, middle class, low income people are essentially paying more than those who are let’s say in a upper class who who who are making a lot of money because they’re getting the relief. Whereas those who need the relief the most, it’s just it’s this big debate going around around getting them relief when they so desperately need it. So let’s talk about some practical steps that individuals, whether they be residential or even commercial business owners, can undertake.

In an effort to try to reduce their property taxes. You know, it all starts with the valuation process. And what I have experienced in the past is that we need to understand that our county auditors are required to value every single parcel of property within a given county. And that is a major undertaking. And it is always contracted out to a private appraisal firm.

To do a what I call a mass appraisal, right? Yeah. So I actually was a part of that process 2019. Really amazed me. It amazed me at how the process actually was. But then also two, there also was an opportunity for people to come in and dispute if they feel like their property values are too high or if they felt like they they they were too low. so people actually have an opportunity to come in and talk to a group of people.

Ted (16:08.836)

to dispute these valuations. So, you know, I’ll give you a a perfect example of my office building that I purchased in 2012. This building that I bought was sitting empty and had gone into foreclosure. And I went to the auction at the County Administration Building to buy this building and it went up for auction. I was the only one who bid on it.

The only one who wanted it. And I paid $248,000 for it, but it was on the duplicate at the time for $648,000. So when my property tax bill came through, as you might expect, it was a substantial amount of money that was $400,000 more than what I had paid for my building. Having said that, I did buy the building, I did make some improvements.

And I did file a tax appeal. And I had to go down to the county and present my case. And my case was look, I bought it for this. I made these improvements. I think that’s what it’s worth. And I think that’s what it should be taxed at. I was fortunate that the individuals who were at that board meeting listened to me. They took evidence from me. And after a brief period of time, they rendered a decision in my favor, so I was successful.

To get my property taxes lowered to what I thought was the value. Having said that, last year, or maybe two years ago, I got a notice from the county that they were going to increase the value of my building by $300,000 in one year. And I was a little shocked by that.

But I did read the law and see again that if you want to file an appeal, you have until March thirty first to appeal the value that was effective on January one of the prior year. So once again, I filed the appeal, went down to the county and argued my case. And at the end of the day, they gave a minor increase on the property, but at least they listened to me.

Ted (18:23.466)

I think it’s good to know that there is this ability to appeal. I would encourage people to take advantage of it. And I think particularly in our county, it’s a fairly easy process. And that’s one of the things that and that’s actually one of the reasons why I wanted to get in office because I also feel like there’s a disconnect between government and community. So when you talk about the appeal process, you knew about it. Of course, I knew about it because I actually worked in the auditor’s office, but

Think about those individuals who don’t even know anything about the appeal process. So they get these bills and they’re like, man, I don’t know how I’m gonna pay this, or they go through hoops and hurdles to pay that bill when all they had to do was just file an appeal, go talk to people, argue their case, and then hope for the appeal to work in their favor. and I think more people need to know.

Especially here in Montgomery County, about the process in terms of if you see something that just doesn’t sit right with you, there is a process that you can go through to have that appeal. Well, that’s you know, and and we’re very fortunate. Now I will say this, you know, and and I’m it’s all public record with respect to my property. when I purchased the property, the amount of taxes collected by the county was like fourteen thousand dollars per year.

I just got my just paid my tax bill for the first half of twenty twenty five and they’ve increased my property taxes by more than twenty thousand dollars a year. Now I have a seventy five hundred square foot building on Main Street. I mean it’s you know it’s it’s the building is you know twenty five years old. so the property taxes what they haven’t doubled

since I’ve owned the property, but they’ve gone up significantly. And and you know, and and that just goes back to the effort to do away with property taxes here in Ohio. I’ve had conversations with business owners who actually have signed the petition to do away with property taxes because they feel like they’re just paying so much. They’re dishing out so much money on property taxes where they just feel like, you know, it’s not even worth it anymore. So they want to just do away with it. So and that just goes back to the frustration year after year after year.

Ted (20:44.77)

This increase. On the other hand, if the alternative is to raise my income taxes, you know, by one percent, two percent, three percent, obviously a rise in the income tax for those of us who are business owners who are successful, it’s gonna cost a heck of a lot more for us as business owners if we’re raising the income tax.

than than to pay the existing property tax on our buildings. And I want to actually give you these numbers as well. Sales tax will increase as well as income taxes will increase. Now the Ohio Society of CPAs estimate that sales tax would need to increase from five point seven five percent to about fifteen to eighteen percent to replace revenues lost.

Income tax, though how society of CPAs estimate income tax would need to increase from 2.75% to about eleven to fifteen percent to replace revenues loss if we do a tax. My guess is that’s projection is also based upon current income. One of the things that I’ve always thought about, you know, you can say you don’t like property taxes, but we can all

for the most part understand that that’s a stable tax base for our schools and for our local governments. You know, Senator, you remember, you know, I spent over twenty years in local government as a township trustee, a village council person, and a mayor of a city. And I regularly had to find ways to fund our police and our fire and our roads and our bridges and all of that kind of stuff. And the benefit we got

By being dependent upon a property tax, was that it was a stable base. We could always count on that income. My concern for putting local government in particular, which I care a lot about, and pegging it to an increase in the sales tax or the income tax, we’ve seen over the last 25 years how sales.

Ted (23:05.92)

or income can fluctuate depending upon the overall economy. And, you know, you can, you know, right now you can project what it would be. But what if we have a downturn in the economy? You know, where does that take us? And where do local governments go? You know, when you’re when you’re at local government, eighty percent of your money goes to pay wages to your firefighters and your police officers and your street people. Those are fixed costs. You gotta have that source of income to keep help.

And to to plow the roads. I worry about shifting the reliance to an unstable tax source. do you have any concerns about that? Yeah, I have a lot of concerns. And, you know, when you think about the local government fund, you know, how it has decreased over decades. You know, we we started off at what 3.68% to now 1.75%.

So now you have local governments that are strapped for cash and they’re trying to figure out how they’re gonna pay for their services, they’re making cuts, which ultimately affects us as citizens who live in these communities. So when we when you just think about the overall big picture of this, I am very concerned about what potentially can happen here in Ohio. And and like I said before, you

make cuts in one area, you’re gonna have to pay for it in another area because these are services that are needed. They’re services that are in a s essentially mandatory for us to have. We need to have police and fire. We need these services. So they’re essential. You know, ever since I was involved in local government, you know, when I started my involvement, we had federal revenue sharing and every local community got money from the federal government.

And we used that maybe to buy a fire engine or to a police car or add some police officers. We did away with federal revenue sharing. Federal government walked away from us. Huge effort in Ohio to repeal the Ohio estate tax and it went away 13. And as you know, nobody likes to pay estate tax, but rather than doing what many states have done, which is simply to say if your estate is below

Ted (25:28.386)

you know, five million dollars, you’re not going to pay any tax. But if you’re over five million, we’re going to charge you a little bit. Rather than paying it to the federal exemption amount, we just repealed it outright. And if you recall, our local governments got ninety percent of the estate tax. Here we are, we repeal the federal revenue sharing, then we repeal the Ohio estate tax.

And then all of a sudden our friends in Columbus decide to pair back the local government fund, which we all depended upon, as you indicated. So what is happening at the local level here at my community? You know, my office building is in the city of Clayton. The City of Clayton last year just had to add another one percent on the income tax to try to make up for.

all of these cuts that have been happening at the federal and state level just to stay alive. And there’s been efforts to increase the local government fund year after year and and nothing has been done. We also have talked about the Rainy Day Fund, which I feel like a lot of our local governments are in situations where they need that relief. and we have this money just sitting. So let’s put it to good use and and help our citizens here in Ohio. You know, there’s something

This may come out of left field a little bit, but there’s something that I wanna just ask you about. Government is all about providing services and it relies significantly upon our government employees to provide those services.

Like all businesses, if we’re going to try to become more efficient, there’s only a few things we can do. But one of the things that I have found within my own company, within my own business, is increasing our capability through technology does help reduce some of our overall costs. I’m curious at the state level, are there any efforts being made?

Ted (27:33.912)

To significantly improve services to the residents of Ohio by increasing the funding for technology of all of our government agencies so that perhaps long term they can reduce some costs. So I will say there is more of an effort around that in the House compared to the Senate. And it’s the center around AI. AI has been around not for quite some time, you know, it’s it’s been around, but now

AI has become the focal point where everybody’s focusing on AI. A lot of businesses and even some government entities are starting to explore different ways in which AI can make things more efficient, get things done pretty quicker, as well as save and cut costs. Say I mean cut costs on different programs and things like that. I will say that there has been some reluctance in the sense of because AI is still fairly new, even though it’s been around, but now.

Because more people are becoming more reliant on it. There has been a little reluctance on how much will we depend on AI. So there have been talks around that. But I I think this will be one of those things where, you know, we’re gonna just see in terms of because we haven’t even scratched the surface on exactly what AI can really do, as well as other technology that’s out there as well. So I I think from the legislature standpoint, I think it’s just a wait and see. And we’re gonna look at other states, of course, and then also too.

for those businesses that are using it, you know, maybe take notes from them and see, okay, how can we incorporate this into our daily lives, into our daily activities, and to make our government more efficient? Well that sounds great. Well we’ve had a good conversation about property taxes. I think we kind of have a have our finger on the pulse. We’re going to have to watch this repeal effort. if I had to guess based upon what I’m reading in the paper it’s

It is likely to make the ballot in November is what it sounds like. It sounds like the legislature’s gonna continue to try to nibble away at it, but the reality is is that if if the effort is successful, you’re gonna have your work cut out for us to try to help out all of our local governments somehow, some way survive. Yeah, it’s gonna it’s gonna be a a heavy lift if if something like this actually does

Ted (29:57.848)

get on the ballot as well as the voters vote for it. So I just I there’s a lot of work that needs to be done. I understand the people’s frustration, but I feel like there’s a a different way in which we can go about this because it’s is is gonna have a lot of consequences that are seen and unseen if something like this happens in Ohio. You know, one of the things that I’ve

you know, have experienced in my lifetime with with Ohio and voters, I would say most of the time our voters get it right. And so I have a lot of confidence in our voters. I think they’re thoughtful. I think they’re considerate. I don’t think that they will just willy-nilly vote on this issue. I think they will really think it through. And if the right case is made to them, I think that they’ll get this right. I think that they will understand

That these basic services are needed, they’re necessary, and need to be funded one way or the other. Hopefully that message, leaders like you can get out here and talk and lead the way and provide the leadership necessary for people to make an informed decision. And I also too would encourage people to reach out to their state representatives, their state senators and tell they want

property tax relief now and why it’s so important for them. So I I think it’s very important for people to reach out to their elected officials and let them know we need you all to work on this because this is how it’s affecting my household. This is how it’s affecting those around me and really push for more legislation, more action to be taken on this issue. Talk to me about one or two other issues that Senator Blackshear is working on. What what’s on your agenda? That’s a little tough to just

you know, name just one or two things. But I I will say one of the things that I’m working on right now is a statewide youth council. this council would be made up of high schoolers in Ohio, about twenty-five from around the state, who would essentially advise the legislature as well as the governor on policies that they’re thinking about and things that they want to see here done in the state. You know, we talk about our workforce keeping young people here in the state. We have we have to have policies

Ted (32:16.78)

That reflect that as well. Another piece of legislation, we actually just had proponent testimony. been working with cities. I actually got this bill idea. actually, it’s a joint bipartisan bill with Senator Wilson. So little do people know, let’s say you go golfing, and let’s just say somebody goes around with like a cart and they give you a beverage. Well, technically, you can’t tip that individual. So this bill would allow public workers in traditional

Traditionally, I have to say that traditionally tipped positions to be able to accept tips. You know, you have local governments, say local governments who have like golf courses in their communities. They’re losing workers to the private sector because the private sector, you can of course take those tips. Whereas in a public sector, in those traditionally tipped positions, you can’t take those tips.

So had a couple of people reach out and saying that this become a a a major issue for us because they’re losing the workforce that they need in these traditionally tipped positions. So we’re actually working on legislation right now to where those public workers, once again, in traditionally tipped positions, are able to now accept tips. Fascinating the things you’re you get involved in. Hey, if if our listeners want to contact

your office, what’s the best way for people to contact the senator’s office? So you can reach me by email at Blackshear B-L-A-C-K-S-H-E-A-R at ohio senate.gov. you can also call our office at 614 466 4583. we always have somebody there to answer the phone from the hours of 830 to 5 p.m

Well, 8 30 to 4 30. Now Wednesdays staff tends to stay till five. but you can always leave a voicemail. We’re very responsive. So we’ll love to hear from you, whether it’s about policy, if you want to have a conversation with me, more than happy to have that conversation because I work for you all. Well, that sounds great. I really appreciate your taking some time and educating us about what’s going on in Columbus. Thanks so much for being here. Thanks so much.

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