The Buckeye Institute appealed Kresevic v. Kimmel to Ohio’s Ninth District Court of Appeals on behalf of Buckeye’s client Karen Kresevic, urging the court to rein in local governments that continue to take income taxes from Ohioans illegally. In its appeal, The Buckeye Institute argues that the trial court erred in its decision to dismiss the case and that the city of Akron stretched the law in breach of its own tax ordinances and forms.

In the Dayton Daily News, The Buckeye Institute applauds state representatives Tom Young and Bob Peterson for their efforts to require every local governmental body and taxing jurisdiction to open their books to taxpayers by requiring them to “disclose their revenue sources and expenditures in a uniform, searchable format and made available to all residents throughout the state.” “The simmering unrest over property taxes should remind Ohio policymakers that meaningful reform cannot wait. But that reform should start with mandatory transparency — not constitutional amendments…”

The Buckeye Institute commented after the Ohio House of Representatives passed House Bill 309, which will help lower property taxes on Ohioans, saying, “House Bill 309 is only one piece of a much larger puzzle of local government and property tax reforms that need to be adopted to help Ohioans clamoring for relief, and The Buckeye Institute urges the Ohio Senate to take up this urgent reform to help homeowners struggling with skyrocketing property tax bills.”

The Buckeye Institute filed an amicus brief in McGee v. Alger County Treasurer, calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case and protect homeowners from Michigan’s unconstitutional violation of the Fifth Amendment. The Manhattan Institute and the National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Legal Center joined The Buckeye Institute in filing the brief. “The Fifth Amendment’s just compensation requirement is categorical. When the government takes property, it must pay for it.”

The Buckeye Institute joined the Washington Legal Foundation in filing an amicus brief in Ohio Telecom Association v. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), calling on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit to hear the case en banc and affirm congressional authority over federal rulemaking. “The FCC has ignored congressional authority in proposing a nearly identical rule to one Congress already scrapped using the Congressional Rule Act process.” The NFIB Small Business Legal Center also joined the brief.

The Buckeye Institute testified before the Ohio Senate Public Utilities Committee on the policies in Ohio Senate Bill 103, which takes “great strides to meet rising [energy] demand without sacrificing consumer protections.” At its core, the bill reforms Ohio’s rigid regulatory procedures for natural gas project approvals through the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO).

The Buckeye Institute commented on the report issued by Governor DeWine’s Property Tax Reform Working Group, saying, “Some of the recommendations from the Property Tax Reform Working Group are positive and align with recommendations made by The Buckeye Institute. However, as Ohioans clamor for relief from skyrocketing property taxes, more needs to be done. Ohio needs to revamp its complex and opaque local government system, as well as its thousands of separate taxing authorities…”

The Buckeye Institute testified before the Ohio House Government Oversight Committee on the policies in Ohio House Bill 176, which will boost innovation, help businesses access capital, and help consumers access better and safer products. In the testimony, The Buckeye Institute noted that, if adopted, House Bill 176 would make “Ohio the sixth state with a universal sandbox across economic sectors, benefiting entrepreneurs, business startups, and consumers by encouraging teamwork between businesses and state regulators.” 

Robert Alt, president and CEO of The Buckeye Institute, joins Case in Point host Hans von Spakovsky to discuss Buckeye’s lawsuit against the IRS—Buckeye v. IRS—and the dangers posed to the privacy of the public by IRS regulations and mishandling of taxpayer information. They also delve into Robert’s experience as a mountain climber and his recent ascent of Mt. Everest. 

The Buckeye Institute testified before the Ohio House Ways and Means Committee on the policies in Ohio House Bill 309, which empowers county budget commissions to reduce property tax levies if those levies collect more than approved by voters. This is one of the 10 recommendations The Buckeye Institute offered to the Property Tax Reform Working Group to lower Ohio’s soaring property taxes. Find more Buckeye Institute recommendations to reform local government and lower property taxes at BuckeyeInstitute.org/LocalGovReform.