School income tax a viable alternative to local funding issues

School funding in Ohio is a hot topic, and continues to get hotter as several school districts in the region have placed property tax levies on the ballot this coming May election.

However, in Ohio, there is an alternative means than districts just relying on traditional property tax levies. These levies aren’t abstract ideas. According to the nonpartisan Ohio Legislative Service Commission (LSC), one-third of Ohio’s 611 school districts have adopted a school income tax. Many of the districts are rural or small town communities that struggle to generate enough revenue solely through property taxes. The school income tax is tied to wages not real estate values.

This column first published in the Dayton Daily News, where Rob Scott is a weekly opinion contributor. See the rest of it here.