State income tax elimination
Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has proposed eliminating Ohio's state income tax, initially linking the idea to consolidating public universities to free up revenue. The proposal is a central affordability and economic-competitiveness debate in the 2026 race as candidates outline tax agendas for the next governor.
Should Ohio eliminate its state income tax?
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Sources
Columbus Dispatch / Jessie Balmert — https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/2026/10/04/ohio-governor-candidates-amy-acton-and-vivek-ramaswamy-on-the-issues/88588933007
In March 2026, Ramaswamy floated the idea of consolidating Ohio universities to help pay for eliminating the state's income tax. "I want us to have the best universities, but we have too many of them," Ramaswamy said in a video posted on Threads.
Positions on this issue · liberal → conservative
- Keep and potentially expand the income tax to fund education, health, and social services
- Retain the income tax but add progressive brackets or credits for working families
- Leave the income tax largely unchanged while studying long-term reform
- Phase down income-tax rates significantly and offset with spending restraint or other taxes
- Fully eliminate the state income tax to boost competitiveness and growth