Ohio Lawmakers Urged to Fund Schools Without Property Taxes

Letter writer suggests General Assembly should find alternative revenue sources to meet constitutional duty.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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A letter to the editor argues that Ohio should outlaw property taxes for schools and instead have the state's General Assembly fulfill its constitutional duty to fund public education through other revenue sources, such as a graduated income tax, ending funding for non-public schools, or clawing back tax breaks given to billionaire sports team owners.

Why it matters

This proposal challenges the reliance on property taxes to fund Ohio's public schools, which can lead to inequities between wealthier and poorer districts. It calls on state lawmakers to take a more active role in ensuring equitable school funding across the state.

The details

The letter writer suggests that by outlawing property taxes for schools, the General Assembly would be constitutionally required to provide funding for all public schools in the state. This could lead to a more consistent and fair funding formula, providing the same per-pupil rate in wealthy and poor districts alike. To find the necessary revenue, the letter proposes options such as reinstating a graduated income tax, ending funding for non-public schools, and rescinding tax breaks given to wealthy sports team owners.

  • The letter was published on February 16, 2026.

The players

Ohio General Assembly

The state legislature responsible for funding public education in Ohio under the state constitution.

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The takeaway

This letter proposes a fundamental shift in how Ohio funds its public schools, moving away from reliance on property taxes and instead calling on state lawmakers to find alternative revenue sources to meet their constitutional duty. The goal is to create a more equitable school funding system across the state.