Meet the leaders tasked with Ohio's property tax reform

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Every member of Ohio's new property tax reform group has assigned reading: a thick binder of past solutions and reform suggestions that have not crossed the finish line.

“We cannot be in a situation where people are priced out of their homes, and we also cannot have a situation where we're bankrupting local governments," Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus said. "And so I'm again very pleased to lend perspective to the committee.”

Driehaus is one of 11 Ohioans Gov. Mike DeWine selected for his Property Tax Reform Working Group. The group is tasked with analyzing and suggesting solutions to ensure Ohioans get property tax relief without compromising local services that rely on tax dollars. DeWine selected leaders from around the state who have until Sept. 30 to draft plans for the future of Ohio's property taxes. See previous coverage in the video player above.

Driehaus said she constantly hears from constituents who are concerned about tax relief, an experience echoed by local and state leaders from every corner of Ohio. Property taxes are high, and Driehaus said she hears from residents who are being taxed out of longtime family homes by high taxes. However, she also knows property tax reform must be done carefully; Ohio's local schools, emergency services and community support systems all largely run on property tax revenue.

Driehaus is one of three county commissioners in the group, but all group members are familiar with the need for tax relief. The work group is also comprised of school superintendents, county treasurers and auditors, mayors and former legislators.

"I have those direct one-on-one conversations with taxpayers when they come in to our office, especially those on fixed incomes that have had to make the hard choices to be able to pay the ever-increasing property taxes and stay in their home," Allen County Treasurer Krista Bohn, a group member, said.

Bohn said that as treasurer, she collects property taxes on behalf of the local schools, fire, children's services and other community entities. She said she hears taxpayers' need for relief -- and experiences it as a taxpayer herself -- but agreed with Driehaus that relief cannot come at the expense of crucial services.

It's a debate that's plagued lawmakers for years. The General Assembly tried to include various property tax relief measures in Ohio's biennial budget. However, DeWine vetoed many of those changes when he signed the budget on June 30 because of the likely financial effects on schools and emergency services. The Ohio House voted to override one of those vetoes to try to provide some relief, but the Senate has not voted on the matter to make it official, and does not have public plans to do so.

DeWine's solution was this working group, which Driehaus said is meeting frequently over the next month to meet their deadline. She said she was asked to join shortly after DeWine issued the vetoes, and group members are making the effort to meet in person whenever possible to collaborate.

Stephanie Starcher, superintendent of Fort Frye Local Schools in southeastern Ohio, said she is grateful to be able to represent Ohio's rural public schools, which she said make up most of the school districts in the state. According to the Ohio Department of Education, 231 of Ohio's 611 public school districts are rural.

"I bring an important voice to the table, given that Ohio public school districts are mostly funded by property taxes in Ohio," Starcher said.

The group is co-chaired by president and CEO of the Ohio Business Roundtable Pat Tiberi, and former state representative Bill Seitz. Tiberi, who is also a former U.S. representative, said he is "honored" to help co-chair the group.

As someone with extensive knowledge of Ohio's businesses, Tiberi said property tax reform is also crucial for Ohio's economy. The state is attracting new businesses, like data centers and tech projects, and Tiberi said those businesses will only come if workers can afford to live here.

"As we work to attract and retain top employers, we must also ensure our communities are positioned to support the growing workforce those investments require," Tiberi said.

The group had its first meeting July 24, and Driehaus said it will continue to meet frequently. Seitz said the group has a big task with little time, but he feels confident the group can succeed. The full list of participants is:

• Co-Chairman Pat Tiberi, president and CEO of the Ohio Business Roundtable
• Co-Chairman Bill Seitz, former State Representative 
• Krista Bohn, Allen County Treasurer
• Chris Galloway, Lake County Auditor
• Matt Nolan, Warren County Auditor
• Steve Patterson, mayor of Athens
• Dr. John Marschhausen, superintendent of Dublin City Schools
• Stephanie Starcher, superintendent of Fort Frye Local Schools
• Denise Driehaus, Hamilton County Commissioner
• Gary Scherer, Pickaway County Commissioner
• Jeff Chattin, Pike County Commissioner