A 13-member panel discussion at the New Philadelphia library Thursday highlighted the divide between those who want to eliminate property taxes and the government agencies who rely on them.
Leonard Gilbert is on the committee to abolish property tax which has been trying to get an amendment on the ballot in Ohio. His argument isn’t just that property taxes are too high. He says they’re immoral.
Other panelists said eliminating property taxes without an alternative would devastate municipalities and school districts. They said it would eliminate things like rural ambulance services, village police departments and potentially entire school districts like Garaway which relies on property taxes for 90 percent of its funding.
Dennison Mayor Greg DiDonato said citizens might not like property taxes, but they still expect police, fire and EMS to show up when they call.
No panelist had definitive answers on alternative funding should property taxes be eliminated.
Gilbert’s committee was not able to get enough signatures to put the issue on the November ballot.
Copyright WTUZ Radio Inc., 2026