Montgomery County sales tax increase draws new proposed state legislation

A new proposal to change state law in response to an increase in Montgomery County sales tax increase — and a failed effort to overturn it — will be unveiled Thursday by two area Republican state legislators.

Rep. Niraj Antani, R-Miamisburg, and Rep. J. Todd Smith, R-Germantown, will be joined at a 10 a.m. news conference by Doug Barry, the Republican county commission candidate who headed up a petition campaign in an effort to put a tax increase repeal question on the November ballot, according to a news release from Antani’s office.

RELATED: Montgomery County sales tax repeal petition drive falls short

The three will make the announcement about the new bill at Insignia Signs in West Carrollton.

Barry and a group called Citizens for a Voice collected about 4,000 signatures of registered Montgomery County voters but fell thousands short of a needed 14,583 by a July 26 deadline.

“The easiest thing for me to do was nothing,” Barry said earlier. “The hard thing to do is to say, ‘This isn’t right.’ This should be decided on by the voters.”

The 0.25 percent sales tax increase taking effective Oct. 1 is expected to generate an additional $19.1 million for the county to overcome a $9 million 2019 budget gap.

Debbie Lieberman said without the sales tax increase, a number of programs would be chopped, many involving public safety.

“We don’t like raising taxes, but we have to function,” she said last month. “We want to continue having a high-performing county that continues to be known as a county that is a great place to live, to work and raise a family.”

RELATED: Is it cheaper to buy in the next county? Compare area sales tax rates.

Barry, also a Miami Twp. trustee, faces current Montgomery County Treasurer Carolyn Rice on Nov. 6.

Last month, Smith filled the 43rd Ohio House District seat vacated by Republican Jeff Rezabek, who left to become a Montgomery County Juvenile Court judge. He defeated Kenny Henning in the Republican primary for the seat in May and will run against current Democratic Montgomery County Commissioner Dan Foley for the seat in November.

Antani will defend his 42nd Ohio House District seat against Democrat Zach Dickerson, also from Miamisburg, in the fall.

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