Taxes are certain to be a big topic in this year’s race for Ohio governor, with both of the leading candidates talking about tax cuts. But so far, there have been few details from either Republican Vivek Ramaswamy or Democrat Dr. Amy Acton on how or where they’d get the money for those cuts.
Acton's website says: "From housing, healthcare, and energy rates, to child care, drug prices, and property taxes, I will combat high prices with creative solutions, transparency, and working with both sides of the aisle...Through smart public investments, creative solutions and transparency–and steps like free school lunch, an expanded child tax credit and expanding the homestead tax exemption–we can alleviate much of this burden."
As of last week, Acton's website only said she supported "a working families tax cut with property tax relief", with no more details. At an event announcing her endorsement by the AFL-CIO on Friday, she said more specifics are coming.
“I absolutely believe there are many ways we can give a break to the rest of us from ways we can eliminate taxes and actually stop giving them to people who didn't even want them," Acton said, referring to income tax and other cuts and deductions that have primarily benefited the wealthiest Ohioans. “There are a number of things we can do in our tax code that would actually lower the burden. And so we'll be doing a combination of cuts, relief and even benefits and other deductions."
Acton hasn't identified where the money would come from for her plans. Neither has Vivek Ramaswamy, who's been more direct in what he wants to do.
Ramaswamy has been talking about tax cuts since the beginning of his campaign early last year. At the official launch of his run for governor on Feb. 24, Ramaswamy told a crowd in Butler County: "We need to bring down the income tax eventually down to zero, because you deserve to keep what you earn. It is your money, not the government's. We need to bring down property taxes in this state immediately, eventually down to zero."
He's still talking up the elimination of the income tax, but has backed off the idea of eliminating property taxes.
“We're going to put more money back in your pockets by cutting your income taxes, by cutting your property taxes and cutting regulations that will bring down your electric bills and the cost of housing," Ramaswamy said at the Jan. 7 announcement of Senate President Rob McColley as his running mate. “We're going to deliver the biggest property tax rollback in the history of our state, because it is your home and your land and not the government."
Ramaswamy ‘s spokesperson said he’ll be doing more formal policy announcements later in the campaign.
