Rep. Workman Votes to Stop Property Tax Spikes

State Representative Heidi Workman (R– Rootstown) today voted in favor of two major property tax reform bills that will protect Ohio homeowners from steep and unpredictable increases in their property tax bills.

House Bill 186, known as the Inflation Cap Credit, limits how much school district property taxes can rise in a given reappraisal cycle. The credit ensures that property tax increases tied to the 20-mill floor cannot exceed the rate of inflation

The bill is projected to save Ohio property owners nearly $1.7 billion over three years and includes temporary state support to keep schools whole during the transition. The credit takes effect for Tax Year 2025, appearing on bills beginning in mid-2026.

House Bill 335 places the same inflation limit on inside millage — an unvoted property tax levy that increases automatically with property values. Under the bill, county budget commissions must adjust inside millage rates so that collections cannot grow faster than inflation during a reappraisal or update year. This change provides an estimated $621–763 million in additional savings statewide.

“These bills directly respond to what I’ve been hearing from homeowners — that they can’t keep up with property tax spikes that don’t match their income,” said Workman. “We’re putting common sense guardrails in place to stop runaway increases and restore predictability for taxpayers.”

These actions build on the legislative work already accomplished by the House Republican Caucus through a slate of provisions, including:

PROPERTY TAX PROVISIONS IN FINAL, APPROVED BUDGET PLAN

• Direct Relief to Seniors, Disabled Veterans & Families of First Responders through homestead exemptions and up to 2.5% owner-occupancy tax credits.
• Levy reform to simplify levies, prevent hidden tax hikes, and stop excessive general fund carryovers. 
• Preventing Fraud through a new statewide property tax reduction screening system – discouraging abuse and protecting taxpayer dollars.
• Promoting Transparency by updating and reviewing property tax ballot language. 
• Enhancing Checks and Balances for Property Tax Rates at the Local Level by requiring reports to the County Budget Commission and requiring local governments to take ownership of unvoted tax increases. 
   

HOUSE BILL 129 (passed the House on 10/8): 

• Implements a check on tax hikes by counting emergency, substitute, incremental growth, conversion levies and the property tax portion of combined levies toward the 20-mill floor – closing loopholes & slowing tax spikes. 
  Ultimately lifts 237 districts off the 20-mill floor. 
   

HOUSE BILL 309 (passed the House on 10/8):

• Slashes unnecessary collections by expanding the County Budget Commission’s authority to modify levies and trim unnecessarily high millage rates, shielding Ohioans from overly excessive tax bills. 
   

HOUSE BILL 124 (passed the House on 6/4):

• Empowers county auditors to have greater oversight over determining property tax sales information used for determining property valuations.

House Bills 186 and 335 will now go to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.