The scenario of the classic western The Magnificent Seven provides a lesson for Ohio in 2025, but most people remember it for its thumping Elmer Bernstein theme rather than its story.
The film begins with ruthless robbers robbing an unarmed farming community for the umpteenth time, killing one of them, and then leaving with the vow to return soon. At last, the farmers decide to fight back, and in order to combat the robbers, they hire a team of seven protectors.
The farmers give away all of value they own, which equals $20 per protector, to pay those seven. Although a lot happens after that, I’m concentrating on the farmers contributing to a shared cause—a service that none of them can do on their own—in order to secure future prosperity.
When we pay taxes, we do just that.
It’s that easy. As we strive for security and prosperity, we collectively pay for services that none of us can offer on our own.
Consider it. How many different businesses would send trucks on how many different days of the week if everyone on your street had to make private arrangements for trash collection? It would be chaotic in your area.
The same holds true for everything that our government was established to do long ago, including street paving, parks and recreation, education, police and fire protection, and snow removal. For instance, you cannot get anywhere during a snowfall in Cleveland without street plows, and you are unable to clear your own path to work.
Our approach to schools, which rely heavily on property taxes for funding, has been that way for many generations. When they were young, the majority of individuals reading this column were able to acquire a good education because their community members paid for it all with their property taxes.
However, Ohioans are currently at a crossroads when it comes to property taxes, which have skyrocketed for a number of reasons that we have detailed in a number of articles this year.
The outrage is so great that a constitutional amendment that completely eliminates property taxes may be on the ballot in 2026. I believe it would be approved, instantly plunging Ohio into anarchy since it would be unable to fund vital social safety nets like parks, schools, and libraries. I can’t stress enough how terrible this would be. While government authorities worked to find a solution, Ohio’s children would probably miss a whole school year, or a significant portion of it.
This problem was brought about by Statehouse politicians, former Governor John Kasich, and Governor Mike DeWine, who methodically transferred service costs from the state budget to local governments.
Their objective is to do away with the state income tax, which was established over fifty years ago in order to address Ohio’s most recent property tax crisis.State elected officials have exacerbated the situation by lowering the income tax and shifting the burden to property taxes.
School districts haven’t done themselves any favors, of course. Due to their inability to control spending or combine for efficiency, their costs have increased more quickly than inflation.
The right course of action is to lower, not eliminate, property taxes; yet, doing so would require the governor and legislature to take responsibility for their error and re-assume the obligations they have been placing on the residents. Some of their income tax breaks may have to be eliminated as a result.
However, our cowardly lawmakers continue to propose diversionary solutions that could offer some immediate respite while kicking that giant can of trouble down the road, instead of doing the right thing.
People talk about the property tax situation a lot because it’s the year’s biggest topic in Ohio, and some of the conversations I’ve seen on social media have startled me.
I’m referring to those who claim they don’t understand why, after purchasing a home, they are still required to pay taxes on it. They argue that they paid taxes at the time of purchase, thus that’s why. They stop paying taxes on other purchases they make. Why are they required to pay taxes on their homes?
In response, I have also read some lovely explanations. The best part is that paying property taxes allows you to be a part of a community that prioritizes things like education, recreation, and public safety. Sales tax is not being paid by you. In order to maintain the health of your community, you are paying your dues.
Those who claim that since they are not enrolled in school or do not have children enrolled, they should not be responsible for funding schools provide another alarming argument. C mon. What if that was what our ancestors had said? None of these individuals would have been educated. It’s simply paying it forward when you pay property taxes.
Our country has always acknowledged the importance of education in fostering a civilized community. First and foremost, we have a responsibility to ensure the greatest possible life for the children in our community. For another, we need bright minds to compete in the global market if we want the country to develop economically. Long-term competitiveness is maintained by educating children.
However, in certain places, public schools have somehow turned into an enemy. By allocating almost $1 billion annually to private schools that are not answerable to the taxpayers, the Ohio Legislature appears intent on undermining or dismantling them.
Additionally, policymakers have made teachers’ unions a boogeyman, which exacerbates the resentment that people have toward property taxes.
I believe it’s all a part of the same plan. Infuriate taxpayers over taxes. Make teachers and public schools the enemy. Start reforms that will cause havoc and result in a future with cheaper taxes but more parental responsibility for their children’s education.
Perhaps our sense of community has simply vanished. Perhaps we’ve moved too far away from the time when people read the local newspaper, discussed how their taxes were being spent in churches, coffee shops, PTA meetings, and other settings.
I’ve seen self-serving justifications for doing away with property taxes. They are being made to disregard the fact that the community rallied around them and that they benefited from property taxes as youngsters. What if this country’s founding generations had adopted the same mindset? In order to secure ourselves from raiders, we would all be holed up in huts, trying to hunt or grow food that we would then have to defend. The wealthiest would be the only ones safe, and they might not even be. Only the wealthy would have access to education. There would be mayhem.
We established communities with a purpose, just like the farmers in The Magnificent Seven, and as a result, successive generations have flourished. How can we bring these core values to the attention of Ohioans? We have known them before. Can we acquire them again?
As the leader of the state s most influential newsroom, I know we have a big responsibility as this battle is waged to make surevoters are aware of what is at stake. We keep publishing stories about it. We talk about it on our Today in Ohio podcast. Our audience is exposed to the lessons of history. But what about the rest of Ohio s residents?
Maybe the answer is free showings of The Magnificent Seven, with discussions to follow.
Or maybe we ll have to live through devastating chaos before Ohio voters recognize what those village farmers in the movie figured out, and come together anew in common cause.
I m at [email protected]
Thanks for reading.
