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One Ohio Now is a statewide coalition advocating for great public services that lead to stronger communities, and the revenue to pay for those services.

We want to see Ohio prosper, and ensure that all Ohioans share in that prosperity. We can and should provide education allowing Ohioans to compete globally, infrastructure to support a sound economy, public health and safety that business and residents require, a clean environment for work and play, and a strong safety net protecting the least fortunate.

A successful Ohio depends on strategic investment in the services and infrastructure that underpin economic growth and position us for long-term prosperity. To invest, we’ll need a revenue system that works for us all. It should change to match the economy, and grow to meet public needs. It should be equitable so that everyone – especially the wealthiest Ohioans and big corporations – pays their fair share.

With adequate revenue, we can have great public K-12 education in every community regardless of income, we can make college affordable, and we can take care of the elderly and disabled with dignity. If everyone pays their fair share, and we make good choices about how we invest, we can do all of this and much more.

It’s time for a change

It’s time that the wealthiest Ohioans and big corporations pay their fair share of taxes to fully fund vital community services. It’s time to stop relying on the privatization of public assets for quick one- time revenue. It’s time for lasting solutions that meet the state’s needs, promote jobs, and maintain the quality of life that Ohioans expect and deserve.

Starting with tax changes in 2005, politicians have chosen tax cuts that benefit wealthy Ohioans the most over support for essentials like schools, libraries, police, and firefighters. In 2013, 2014, and 2015 with revenues increasing, the budget didn’t make up for all of the cuts, let alone invest what’s necessary to solve problems in our communities. Instead, more cuts and tax shifts lead to more inequality. Small gains like the modest Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for low-income working families don’t go far enough; we need a strong, refundable EITC.

Our schools have been asked to choose between chopping courses or crowding classrooms, and the cut in the property tax rollbacks will make it even harder to pass local levies. Local governments – which get nearly $1 billion less in state support in the current two-year budget compared to the budget of four years earlier – struggle to keep streets repaired, cops on the beat, and firehouses open. Local communities across Ohio are suffering as a result of decisions by state politicians.

We can reform our revenue system to be equitable and sufficient to meet Ohio’s needs. One Ohio Now is pushing for common-sense change. Our proposed solutions include: