Ohio Armed Forces State Income Tax Exemption Passes!

Here’s some good news for the last business day of 2006. I held off posting on this until I could find a link and verify that Gov. Taft had signed the legislation involved, but I have confirmed that the State Income-Tax Exemption for Ohio Armed Forces members has passed!

I learned of the measure’s imminent passing into law when this comment got posted at the original BizzyBlog entry:

For everyone who urged the Ohio state senate to pass a military tax relief bill, please accept my thanks. Bottom line – they DID IT. On Thursday (December 14th), the bill was sent to the Governor’s office for signature! It is anticipated that he will sign it within the next few weeks. I will provide an update when it happens.

The bill exempts military pay of Ohio troops from state income tax when the troops are stationed or deployed outside of Ohio. It is estimated by the Ohio Legislative Service Commission that the bill will save troops somewhere between $20 million to $28 million. The bill won’t go into effect until next year, though.

I encourage Ohioans to send a “thank you” to Rep. Peter Ujvagi from Toledo – District47@ohr.state.oh.us, psujvagi@aol.com. Rep. Ujvagi sponsored the bill. He has a nephew in the Marines and another in the Army. Others to thank include Sen. Ron Amstutz, sd22@mailr.sen.state.oh.us from Wooster, and Sen. Kimberly Zurz from Green, Ohio senatorzurz@maild.sen.state.oh.us.

Another thank you goes to Blackfive and Bizzyblog for getting the word out.

Sincerely,

Steve Lynch, Lt Col, USAF (ret)
South Russell, OH

Any time, sir. Ohio-based credit really goes to Right Moment and others who got the ball rolling in response to a Cleveland Plain Dealer article on the bill’s then-dormant status.

I believe that Sgt. Lynch’s reference to “next year” means that the legislation will not take effect until January 1, 2007, though it could conceivably mean the beginning of the state’s next fiscal year. I will clarify and let readers know if the effective date is other than 1/1/07.

Proof of passage, which was otherwise not verifiable because there has been no discernible Ohio media coverage of this, starts at Page 30 of the “Ohio House of Representatives Journal” (PDF) of December 13:

Matt at Right Angle Blog, who sent the link (thanks!) tells me in an e-mail that “It passed originally from the House on March 21, 2006, then we (the Senate — Ed.) concurred on Dec. 13th. It’s an act, which means Taft signed it.”

Thanks to all who supported this legislation and got the attention of legislators. Lumps of coal to those who, for reasons that mystify the mind, didn’t.