While school districts throughout the state are breathing a collective sigh of relief over Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto of significant property tax changes, state legislators are thinking about overriding his decisions.

The legislators I spoke to said they were disappointed and surprised about the vetoes, but I could definitely sense frustration and some anger with DeWine.

Legislators, Republicans and Democrats alike, said the top issue they hear from their constituents is property tax relief. We all feel it.

Recent property tax reappraisals saw property values go up 38% in Mahoning County and 35% in Trumbull. It didn’t result in everyone’s property taxes going up, but several experienced significant increases.

Typically the largest expense on a person’s property tax bill is their local school district. Public school officials say the budget approved by the Legislature unfairly targeted them while the state expands charter school funding at their expense even though 90% of students attend public schools.

Those officials are very pleased with DeWine’s vetoes despite realizing the battle isn’t over.

But the state Legislature has overridden only three of DeWine’s vetoes, and one was from a budget, during the seven years he’s been governor. Vetoes need three-fifths majorities from the House and the Senate. Republicans have more than enough members to override the vetoes if they wish.

The biennial budget approved by the state Legislature – actually, only Republicans in the majority voted for it – included four provisions that its members said would bring immediate and much-needed property tax help.

One provision limited school districts to having only up to 40% of their annual operating budget in their cash reserves. That was estimated to save $2.17 billion in property taxes. There was a provision that the 40% limit could be exceeded if the money is kept in a separate fund for construction and maintenance projects.

The House wanted 30% and the Senate wanted 50% with 40% and the provision for a separate fund included as a compromise.

This greatly upset school district officials who said they were being punished for being fiscally prudent with money.

In vetoing the provision, DeWine, a Republican like the state legislators who passed the budget, said: “While the intention to save taxpayer dollars is understandable, this item would significantly limit the amount of funding that school districts can carry over year-to-year, resulting in more districts asking taxpayers to pass levies more often, which could very well exacerbate property tax increases instead of reducing them.”

Another provision passed by the Legislature and vetoed by DeWine would have given county budget commissions – made up of the county auditor, treasurer and prosecutor – control over tax rates and levies. The commission would be permitted to unilaterally cut property tax rates if revenues exceed expenditures, even if voters approved ballot initiatives for that funding. There is debate whether that can already occur, but the Republican legislators wanted to make it crystal clear.

DeWine said of the item: “This breaches the approval of such millage by voters.”

DeWine also vetoed a provision that required school districts to include emergency and substitute levies in their 20 Mill Floor, which guarantees they receive at least 20 mills of funding even if they are below that amount. This would have put about 200 of the state’s 611 school districts off the floor. There are about 400 districts in total that are currently under the amount, permitting them to essentially collect taxes that no one ever voted to support.

DeWine’s explanation for vetoing this provision was he would convene a working group “to ensure this critical topic is given the attention deserved.”

The final veto took away a legislative-passed restriction on any government entity to seek replacement levies and for school districts also not permitted to ask for emergency or substitute levies.

DeWine said: “These levies serve as important tools for school districts as they seek to maintain their long-term financial stability.”

The vetoes didn’t please Republican legislators while the Democrats in the minority of the House and Senate said DeWine didn’t go far enough.

State Rep. David Thomas, R-Jefferson, who was heavily involved in developing the House Republicans’ property tax relief policies, said: “It makes zero sense to veto efforts directly relieving our taxpayers.”

Thomas, who represents portions of Trumbull County, said there are enough Republicans who will override DeWine’s vetoes on property tax reforms.

The House and Senate have until the end of 2026 to consider overriding DeWine’s vetoes, but Thomas said it would occur much sooner than that. When the Legislature returns to Columbus in October, Thomas said, he was sure the overrides would be a major topic of discussion.

Thomas has introduced other bills that target public schools and will push to get the Legislature to approve them.

State Rep. Tex Fischer, R-Boardman, also wants to override the governor’s vetoes, saying the property tax changes “represented a meaningful step that would have put money back in people’s pockets.” But, Fischer said, “Their concerns were just swept aside by the governor to preserve the status quo.”

David Skolnick is a political writer for the Youngstown Vindicator and Warren Tribune-Chronicle, sister Ogden newspapers wWith the Columbiana Country newspapers. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @dskolnick.Contact David Skolnick by email at dskolnick@vindy.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @dskolnick.