Strengthening Ohio’s Property Tax System: A Meaningful Step Forward

On December 19, 2025, Governor Mike DeWine signed a package of property tax reform bills into law, marking an important step toward improving stability, transparency, and fairness in Ohio’s property tax system. Ohio Business Roundtable President & CEO Pat Tiberi was on hand for the bill signing, reflecting OBRT’s active role in shaping the legislation. As Co-Chair of the Property Tax Reform Working Group, Pat helped convene business leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to examine the system’s challenges and advance practical, fiscally responsible solutions that balance taxpayer relief with community stability.

The legislation addresses long-standing concerns related to reappraisals, millage floors, levy calculations, and administrative processes that have contributed to volatility for homeowners, employers, and local governments alike. Collectively, these reforms aim to better align property tax growth with inflation, provide relief where valuations have surged, and preserve the local services communities rely on.

Governor DeWine rightly noted that while the reforms are not perfect, they represent meaningful progress for Ohioans across the state, offering relief without compromising the fiscal foundation of schools, local governments, and public services.

At the Ohio Business Roundtable, we view this legislative package as an important milestone in a much broader conversation.

“Ohio’s property tax system has been placing real strain on homeowners and employers alike, and addressing that challenge requires thoughtful, fiscally responsible solutions,” said Pat Tiberi, President & CEO of the Ohio Business Roundtable. “I commend Governor DeWine and the General Assembly for working through a complex and sensitive issue to deliver meaningful relief without undermining the stability communities rely on.”

For employers, predictable and transparent property taxes are critical to long-term planning and investment decisions. For families and communities, stability helps ensure that growth does not come at the expense of affordability or essential local services. These reforms move Ohio closer to a system that better balances those shared priorities.