Does Ohio have a spending or a revenue problem?

A leading Republican lawmaker said Ohio doesn’t have a revenue problem but has “an expenditure problem and a government size and scope problem.”

In a post to X, state Rep. Mike Dovilla, R–Berea, pointed to “the $1.5 billion surplus” in fiscal 2026 as proof that the state’s revenues are acceptable.

The lawmaker’s remarks came in response to a chart that Marcell Strbich, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for secretary of state this year, shared showing how state spending has ballooned in recent years, particularly over the past decade.

For Patriots circulating property tax abolition signature petitions-

The next time somebody says to you, how are you going to pay for the loss of property tax revenue ($23B). Show them this chart of runaway spending from 2014-2026.

Which is more, revenue or SPENDING? pic.twitter.com/Mh0v7LPzB9

— Marcell Strbich (@marcellstrbich) June 28, 2026

“I personally believe we should eliminate real estate taxes in Ohio, but to do that we need to get spending under control at all levels and consider how local units of government can work more efficiently,” Dovilla said in a post to X. “That means state policymakers, in concert with our local partners, need to make difficult decisions as responsible leaders.

“I’ve offered some initial policy solutions to these long festering problems and am open to input from others who sincerely desire to have [a] constructive conversation about right-sizing government for Ohio taxpayers,” Dovilla added. “It is way overdue.”

This is why I've been saying for years that we have a spending addiction in this state and country. At the national level, we are nearly $40 trillion in debt, which is unsustainable if this republic is to remain free.

Here in Ohio, we don't have a revenue problem, as the $1.5… https://t.co/gG2pHd6rZ0

— Rep. Mike Dovilla (@mikedovilla) June 28, 2026

Dovilla pointed to two pieces of legislation: House Bill 645, which would “require periodic zero-based budgeting for state agencies,” and House Bill 574, the Government Pilot Program for Efficiency and Reform, or GIPPER, Act, which would “incentivize local governments to merge or consolidate services to reduce” costs.

“Government spending should not be on autopilot, growing annually without regard to necessity or effectiveness,” Dovilla said on X. “…With approximately 4,000 units of government in Ohio, taxpayers need relief from government that is too large in scope and too duplicative in nature.”

The House passed HB 645 along bipartisan lines, Dovilla said, calling on the Senate to pass it by the end of the year, when the session ends.

General Revenue Fund appropriations, codified as part of an amended House Bill 96, are set to increase to $44.4 billion in fiscal 2026 and to nearly $46.1 billion in fiscal 2027, increases of 2% and 3.7%, respectively. Medicaid (50.5%) and K-12 Education (26.1%) account for a significant share of spending, and the latest social media back-and-forth comes as state officials grapple with allegations of widespread fraud.

GRF spending is just one part of the state’s spending plan. According to the Center for Community Solutions, the Buckeye State’s total spending was set to surpass $99.5 billion in fiscal 2026 and $101.1 billion in fiscal 2027.