State lawmakers are considering two bills that would make changes in how income taxes are collected by Ohio's largest cities.
And a group that advocates for municipalities is worried about them. Ohio Public Radio's Karen Kasler reports.
The bills would repeal a law passed early in the pandemic to protect cities’ income tax revenues, and would redirect those taxes paid by employees working from home to where they live, not the cities where their offices are located. Alison Goebel with the Greater Ohio Policy Center says the bills, along with a lawsuit, would cost Ohio’s six largest cities, which generate more than half of the state’s GDP, over $300 million a year.
“You can’t just say, ‘ok, we’re going to make this huge policy change in the way that income taxes is collected. Let the chips fall where they may.’ That’s irresponsible and is going to have a lot of consequences, probably many that we’re not even able to anticipate right now.”
Goebel says while working from home may be around for a while, offices will still depend on sewer and water, roads and other systems maintained by cities.
