Ohio lawmakers propose property tax cap as data center votes approach

Two Republican members of the Ohio General Assembly, State Representatives Kevin Miller and Jeff LaRe, have introduced a proposal for a constitutional amendment to cap annual property tax increases for owner-occupied homes at 3%. The measure aims to protect homeowners from sharp tax spikes caused by rising property appraisals while allowing local governments a modest annual increase to account for inflation. Any revenue increases exceeding the 3% threshold would require voter approval.

Separately, voters in 18 Ohio municipalities and townships will decide on the future of data centers during the November election. Several petitions, including those in Conneaut, Defiance, Granville, Oregon, Pataskala, Piqua, Sunbury, Trenton, and Upper Sandusky, seek to limit or ban data centers that consume significant amounts of energy. In Piqua, local organizers are seeking to strike down an agreement to power a proposed Meta data center following community concerns regarding energy demands and local impact.