‘Two Guys in a Basement,’ Gathering Signatures To Abolish Ohio Property Taxes, Spark a National Movement

The Committee to Abolish Ohio’s Property Taxes is hoping to “axe” property taxes and force the state government at Columbus to change how it funds itself. The citizen-led initiative, in the second phase of the effort, is collecting signatures to get on the ballot in November. Passage would amend the state constitution and reset the relationship citizens have to all levels of government.The Committee’s state leader, Leonard Gilbert, “started out in a basement,” with just one other member, Brian Massie. “We had no idea we would have this type of impact,” Mr. Gilbert told The New York Sun, “not only in” Ohio but “across the boundary to other states.” Their goal is “restoring the American dream” ahead of the republic’s 250th anniversary.Foreclosures on farms and homes over tax bills put government first, Mr. Gilbert said. He compared concerns over abolishing the status quo to those expressed in “Up from Slavery,” Booker T. Washington’s autobiography. “Freedom,” Mr. Gilbert said, “was actually more fearful than the slavery,” because ending an “entrenched system” causes “automatic panic.”Mr. Gilbert said that the Ohio Republican, Governor Mike DeWine, “thought he was going to cry about how we’re going to destroy the society” and having to hike the sales tax to 20 percent without property taxes. Yet the semi-retired engineer envisions a “big picture” renovation of government into one that collects less, not the same amount in other ways. At AxOhTax.com, the group writes that their goal is to end the cycle where “taxing authorities … repeatedly come to the voters to secure necessary funds for essential services.” They envision “consistent funding of essential services” and “balanced and equitable funding for schools.” Mr. Gilbert notes that eliminating the “monstrous system” of auditors and others would end that expense.The Committee argues that “funding schools through property taxes has resulted in rich schools and poor schools, creating educational gaps based on zip code.” Those who homeschool, as Mr. Gilbert did his children, are also paying for services they don’t use.“A poor man can work himself out of poverty if he owns something,” Mr. Gilbert said. “But if a government has a hold of that, it has dominion of it; you don’t. You’re the property of the government.” Of the impact on children, he notes that perpetuating an “unsustainable” tax system will “leave a mess for the next generation.”The Republican running to succeed Mr. DeWine, Vivek Ramaswamy, was receptive to the Committee’s goals, inviting members to his house where they spoke for two hours. When the former GOP presidential hopeful asked how they’d “pay for” the property tax repeal, Mr. Gilbert dismissed the premise.“If you want to bring businesses here,” Mr. Gilbert said. “You lower taxes. Lower taxes will always drive more money for the government.” He suggested that Mr. Ramaswamy ought to look at his proposal to abolish Ohio’s income tax the same way, embracing the idea that lower rates increase revenue, just as stores cut prices to grow sales and profits.The Committee needs 412,000 verified signatures to get on the ballot. Since May, at 154 locations across Ohio’s 88 countries, they’ve been aiming for 600,000 to compensate for any rejected names. “This is not going to be a slam-dunk,” Mr. Gilbert said, noting opposition from teachers’ unions. He’s “excited” about the impact the movement is having already.“One of the legislators told me,” Mr. Gilbert said, “‘had it not been for you guys waking up this society, nothing would have ever happened in Columbus.’” The effort provided “the catalyst” for “five bills … passing right now,” the legislator said. “I don’t know where it goes from here, but you set a foundation” and “if nothing else, you guys get a victory.”Advocates in Texas, Michigan, and South Dakota are getting involved to see if the Committee to Abolish Ohio’s Property Taxes can succeed in changing the state constitution and the way government is funded. “We must be shaking the bush here quite a bit,” Mr. Gilbert said with a chuckle — impressive for a movement that started in a basement with only the Spirit of 1776 as its guide.

‘Two Guys in a Basement,’ Gathering Signatures To Abolish Ohio Property Taxes, Spark a National Movement

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