Gavarone supports proposal to make income tax hikes more difficult

SANDUSKY — State Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, is supporting a proposed state question making it harder for state lawmakers to hike Ohio's income tax. Senate Joint Resolution 3 by state Sen. Dave Burke, R-Marysville, seeks to amend the Ohio Constitution to require a two-thirds majority, a "supermajority," in both the Ohio House and the Ohio Senate to raise Ohio's income tax. The measure is currently in an Ohio Senate Committee. If the Ohio Senate and Ohio House approves SJR 3, it would go on the Ohio ballot this fall as a state question to be considered by Ohio voters. Gavorone has signed as a co-sponsor of the measure. She said she expects the Senate to pass it. When it comes to the state deciding to take more money from people's paychecks, "I think we should have overwhelming support," Gavarone said. "It should be a higher bar." When the state government has a budget shortfall, lawmakers should look first to reduce the size of government, rather than taking more money away from the people, Gavarone said. SJR 3 has been criticized by Zach Schiller, research director for the Policy Matters Ohio think tank. Schiller said the proposal would help lock in place a system that taxes lower-income Ohioans more heavily than wealthier Ohioans, and could even make the situation worse. "In every recession during the past 40 years, under both Democratic and Republican governors, Ohio has raised taxes at least temporarily to make up for lost revenue," Schiller said. "Authors of this proposal are telling Ohioans that the next time, the income tax will be off-limits — and so only more regressive taxes and fee increases, falling harder on low- and middle-income Ohioans — will be possible," he said. Schiller said the proposal also is undemocratic. "The proposed amendment would allow a minority of legislators to override a vote by a majority of Ohioans, a move that is fundamentally undemocratic," Schiller said. Gavarone said the proposal does not make an income tax hike "off-limits." "Senate Joint Resolution 3 does not make it impossible to raise taxes. It just requires a supermajority," she said. The tax proposal isn't the only interesting state issue that could be on the ballot in November. Labor leaders are backing a proposed state question to raise Ohio's minimum wage in several stages until it reaches $13 an hour by 2025. They say polls show strong support for their proposal. Another group is pushing a possible state question, the Secure and Fair Elections Amendment, which would register everyone to vote when they obtain or renew a driver's license, unless the citizen says in writing he does not want to be registered.