Vivek Ramaswamy pitches zero income tax in Ohio race
Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy is pitching an economic overhaul for Ohio centered on eliminating the state income tax, bringing high-paying jobs back in droves, and improving schools as he campaigns against Democrat Amy Acton ahead of the November election for governor. The Cincinnati native says rising costs are squeezing residents and argues zero income tax status would stop Ohioans from leaving for Texas, Florida, and Tennessee.
Key Takeaways
- Ramaswamy lists lower costs, bigger paychecks, and better schools as his top three goals.
- He vows to make Ohio a zero income tax state, citing residents leaving for Texas, Florida, and Tennessee.
- At the Butler County Fair, he said large data centers should pay for the electricity they use.
- He argues schools need stronger academic standards more than additional funding.
- He faces Democrat Amy Acton, Ohio’s former state health director, in November.
What is Vivek Ramaswamy proposing for Ohio’s economy?
According to FOX19 in Cincinnati, Ramaswamy says bringing high-paying jobs back is his first priority, paired with expanded workforce and trades-based education. “The number one step… bring high-paying jobs back to the state in droves… combine that with good workforce training… trades-based education… that’s going to bring an economic boom,” he said.
On taxes, he argues Ohio is losing people to no-income-tax states. “They’re going to Texas… Florida… Tennessee… Zero income tax. So… I’m going to make us a zero income tax state,” he said. He also pitched producing more energy to cut electric bills and prosecuting Medicaid fraud to ease everyday costs.
Bureaucracy is his “pet peeve,” he said, calling for faster state agencies and a new department of customer service reporting directly to the governor. For homeowners tracking property costs and relocation trends, related coverage lives in BlasterPost’s Luxury Real Estate & Dream Homes hub.
How did Vivek Ramaswamy address Butler County data centers and property taxes?
At the Butler County Fair in Hamilton, WCPO reported Ramaswamy spoke for more than an hour to roughly 100 people before taking questions. County commissioners have approved a six-month moratorium on new data centers in areas under county zoning, while Trenton and Hamilton have pushed charter amendments targeting facilities larger than 25 megawatts.
Asked how to balance development with local concerns, he said large-scale data centers should cover the energy costs they create. “I am against you and the people of this state having to pay for them,” he said. “If you are going to use electricity from the electric grid, you should have to pay for it and bring your own energy.”
On property taxes, former Edgewood City Schools teacher Becky Banks asked how he would lower them while protecting school funding. Ramaswamy replied that the biggest challenge is standards, not money: “The number one thing that our public schools are missing right now is not more money. It is standards.” Banks later said she was encouraged by his vision.
Why does Vivek Ramaswamy say public safety and schools matter now?
Ramaswamy, who said he grew up in Cincinnati, framed urban crime as a major issue and called for backing law enforcement so families can enjoy downtown events “without fear.” He also criticized pandemic-era school closures, saying Cincinnati Public Schools were closed for nearly two years and students “are never going to get those two years of their education back,” remarks aimed at Acton, who served as Ohio’s state health director during COVID-19.
Acton’s campaign, per WCPO, has focused on strengthening public education, protecting healthcare access, and supporting working families. FOX19 said requests for an Acton interview had not yet produced a scheduled appearance. The race heads to voters in November.