Governor Candidates Offer Different Paths on Costs

Linette Roberts of Cleveland put it plainly: "Just everything is going up, and they need to really bring it down." JT Regan said the price at the pump takes a bigger bite out of his paycheck than it used to. Dawn Perry called the state's gas tax break depressing, saying she has cut groceries from her budget to keep up.

Democrat Amy Acton, a doctor, said her first day in office would include executive orders on property taxes, energy bills and housing. Her plan includes a working families tax cut of about $1,800 for a family of four earning $60,000, a child tax credit of $1,000 a year for children up to age 6, and $500 for other minors in families earning up to $85,000. She also proposes an earned income credit, a rebate on recent property tax increases, and a wider homestead exemption.

Acton said she would pay for these ideas by moving money away from what she called special interest groups. "It isn't a matter of there not being the money; it's what you put the money to," she said. She also said health care debt can be renegotiated: "We have immediate relief on that we can do for pennies on the dollar."

Republican Vivek Ramaswamy worked with the legislature to suspend the gas tax. He said in July, "Providing affordability relief for families who need it now." He wants to phase out the income tax over 10 years, roll property taxes back to 2020 levels, and cap their growth. He said those cuts could be paid for by cutting government spending and consolidating public universities.

Ramaswamy has not sat for a full interview with the station, which has asked for more than a year. Questions were instead asked at his campaign stops. "That is what we're going to fight for: lower costs, bigger paychecks," Ramaswamy said Friday.

Libertarian Don Kissick and running mate James Mills want to eliminate property taxes entirely. They said in a statement that they prefer local consumption-based taxes, and that balancing the budget and ending what they called corporate welfare for large institutions would save money for Ohioans.

Acton said her first 100 days would focus on affordability. "Well, I'm running to make life affordable again," she said.