Taxes

Finally, Ohio has a new two-year operating budget. Gov. Mike DeWine signed it into law this morning.

In almost every election, the economy is considered the top issue. Both Republican Mike DeWine and Democrat Richard Cordray say they have plans to spark Ohio’s economy, which has come back from the Great Recession but has been lagging the nation in job and wage growth. In a continuing series the Statehouse News Bureau breaks down how the two major party candidates for governor stack up when it comes to key issues.

Tax departments throughout the state are fielding questions from taxpayers about the pre-payment of local tax bills. Some are considering paying taxes by the end of 2017 so they can still deduct them from their taxes under new tax rules going into effect. 

Gov. John Kasich has signed 15 bills into law before leaving for a holiday break. 

The U.S. House and Senate have passed the most sweeping tax overhaul in decades, with the bill splitting down party lines. Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown contends that this only benefits the rich, while his Republican counterpart Rob Portman argues that this can help pay down the deficit in the long run. 

As the new session of the Ohio General Assembly starts its work, tax reform is on the mind of its top leaders. 

Ohio’s tax revenue has fallen short of estimates in the past few months. And recently Gov. John Kasich has brought up the “R” word -- recession. Kasich is now using another term that’s become taboo on capitol square.

Gov. John Kasich made a surprise appearance on the floor of the Ohio House yesterday, to tell lawmakers to expect a tough budget because Ohio is on “the verge of a recession”. But a report from his budget office doesn’t back up that claim.

State agencies are already looking past this election and months ahead – to the upcoming budget process.

Ohio’s Democratic U.S. Senator is joining the chorus of those calling on Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump to release his tax returns.

The money the state brought in from taxes was down last month, and that has officials saying they’ll be watching the next few months very carefully.

The state’s highest court will decide whether internet retailers which have no offices or employees in Ohio but sell products to Ohio residents have to pay a tax that nearly all Ohio businesses pay. And the question before the court centers on what the definition of doing business in Ohio actually is.

The tax deadline is coming in a little less than three weeks. But the filings are coming in fast and furious, though the deadline is later this year than in previous years.