Flat income tax puts Ohio among top 5 states for millionaire tax cuts
Correction: October 20, 2025 | This release has been corrected: Just 12% of Americans believe wealthy families pay too much in taxes, according to this poll. The correction appears in bold; incorrectly reported data is struck through. The state legislature delivered Ohio millionaires one of the biggest income tax cuts in the nation this year, […]
Property tax proposal misses the mark
Poorly targeted bill will harm school districts, leave out property owners who need relief, and benefit some who don’t Policy Matters Ohio’s analysis of Substitute House Bill 186 notes that the proposed legislation could strip nearly $1.7 billion from public schools over three years. Its tax relief measures would benefit property owners in Indian Hill, […]
Marketplace health insurance premiums will skyrocket unless Congress acts
Federal lawmakers could avoid a price-hike while averting a government shutdown *UPDATE: October 1, 2025 — Where indicated, this release had been updated to reflect new KFF analysis based on more recent data, showing that without Congressional action, annual Healthcare Marketplace premiums will more than double next year, from an average of $888 in 2025 […]
Legislators abandon Fair School Funding, add supplements that increase disparities
New data illustrate impact by district In FY 2026-27, Ohio’s legislature will distribute some school funding through supplements that increase disparities across economic lines, further shortchanging districts with high levels of student poverty, according to a new brief from Policy Matters Ohio. The brief accompanies a series of district-level factsheets, many of which show that […]
Sanctions limit opportunities for Ohioans with criminal convictions
Survey shows biggest impact on employment, driver’s license suspensions A new brief, “Fired, Denied, Rescinded,” shows some of the harm done to Ohioans by collateral sanctions: legal restrictions tied to criminal convictions even after a person has completed their sentence. Based on a survey conducted by Policy Matters and Building Freedom Ohio, the brief suggests […]
Expanded State of Working Ohio and new Census data underscore need for a strong public sector and public policy
Today, Policy Matters Ohio released an updated and expanded “State of Working Ohio” report, providing a broader picture of how the economy is working for working people. The additional data — covering employment, wages, productivity, and unionization rates — provide additional context to understand the Ohio economy, as well as new Census data on poverty, […]
Tax expenditures shortchange Ohioans
Ineffective tax breaks warrant strict review Unproductive tax breaks that favor corporations and wealthy Ohioans have riddled the state tax code for years. In a new report released today, Policy Matters Ohio outlines the scope of these tax expenditures, as they are known, and recent changes that hold out some hope for change. “As of […]
The State of Working Ohio in 2025
In honor of Policy Matters Ohio’s 25th anniversary, our annual Labor Day lookback at key economic indicators also looks back at the last 25 years, finding that Ohio workers are still struggling “For decades, federal and state policymakers have prioritized ‘business-friendly’ policies and trickle-down tax codes, benefiting the wealthiest among us,” said Heather Smith, researcher […]
Policy Matters, 16 partners call on Mayor Bibb to support Tanisha’s Law
Expanding and sustaining non-police crisis response critical to public safety and trust On July 28, Policy Matters Ohio, REACH, members of the CareforCLE Coalition, and other local stakeholders sent a letter to the office of Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb urging him to reaffirm his commitment to non-police crisis response by supporting Tanisha’s Law. Named for […]
Another loss for Ohio schools
House makes it harder for public schools to raise funds locally Today, the Ohio House of Representatives continued their crusade against public education by overriding Gov. DeWine’s line-item veto of a property-tax measure included in the state operating budget that was passed last month. Of three vetoes targeted for override, House leadership was only able […]
Flat wrong
Billion-dollar handout comes at a cost Gov. DeWine has signed House Bill 96, the state’s biennial budget bill, after vetoing 67 line items from the text submitted last week by the General Assembly. Policy Matters Executive Director Hannah Halbert issued the following statement: “As submitted to Gov. DeWine, this budget would have been devastating for […]
Gov. DeWine mulls underfunding schools by $2.86B
Ohio legislators sent a budget to Gov. DeWine that gives a billion-dollar annual tax break to Ohioans earning six figures. This tax cut is possible, in part, because the legislature is underfunding schools by $2.86 billion, as compared to the amount the Fair School Funding plan says schools need to provide an adequate education, regardless […]