Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s proposed tax hikes on sports betting, cigarettes, and cannabis are facing strong opposition in the state’s Republican-controlled House.
House Finance Committee chair Brian Stewart has indicated that most GOP lawmakers do not support the increases, making their passage unlikely.
DeWine’s budget plan seeks to double the tax rate on sports betting operators from 20% to 40%, with the additional revenue allocated to a sports projects fund. It also proposes raising cigarette taxes by $1.50 to help fund a $1,000 child tax credit and doubling the cannabis tax from 10% to 20%.
Despite these measures, Republican leaders, including Stewart, have expressed doubts about their feasibility, casting uncertainty over the future of the governor’s tax proposals.
Brian Stewart, the Finance Committee Chair of the Ohio House, mentioned:
I don’t support these tax increases, and in my discussions with members, it’s clear that the majority of Republicans do not support them either. But we will not determine anything concrete relating to the substitute bill until we receive and deliberate on members’ amendments.
Stewart acknowledged that while no proposal is immediately off the table, tax increases remain a difficult sell within the Republican Party. He reiterated that most House Republicans oppose Governor DeWine’s tax proposals but emphasized that final decisions will not be made until after the budget amendment deadline.
Opposition to the proposed tax hikes extends beyond Stewart. Senate President Rob McColley also voiced concerns, particularly as lawmakers continue discussions on eliminating or flattening Ohio’s income tax.
Follow our Telegram channel
