• 12/31/07 A New Year, a New Set of (Lower) Tax Rates in Ohio
  (EXCERPT: "New Year’s Day will bring with it another series of cuts in state tax rates – the latest step in an ongoing reform of Ohio’s tax system.

  The most obvious change for most taxpayers will be lower withholding rates, which take effect for pay periods ending on or after Jan. 1, 2008.

  The lower withholding rates will increase the take home pay of Ohioans by approximately $350 million during 2008. They represent a 4.2 percent decrease from 2007, and are another step in the phase in of a 21-percent, across-the-board income tax cut that will be complete by 2009."

• 11/14/07 Nation's Tax Experts to Converge on Columbus
  (EXCERPT: "Ohio’s state capital will also play the part of the nation’s tax capital for three days this week when it hosts the National Tax Association’s 100th Annual Conference on Taxation.

  The conference, to take place at the Hyatt on Capitol Square on Thursday through Saturday, is expected to lure 300 of the nation’s leading tax academics and tax administrators to Columbus for discussions on tax theory, practice and policy."

• 10/25/07 Office of the Governor News Release: Approximately 788,000 Homeowners in Line to Receive Property Tax Relief
  (EXCERPT: "Governor Ted Strickland today announced that about 566,000 additional homeowners applied for the newly-expanded homestead exemption during a special sign up period earlier this year from July 2 to October 1.
  The result is that as many as 788,000 homeowners stand to receive hundreds of dollars worth of property tax relief on bills payable next year. This figure includes about 222,000 homeowners who were already enrolled under the old homestead exemption law and did not need to reapply."
• 10/24/07 Office of the Governor News Release: Governor Strickland Announces Income Tax Cuts for 2008
  (EXCERPT: "Governor Ted Strickland today announced a 4.2 percent decrease in
  income tax withholding rates for 2008, which is another step in the phase in of a 21-
  percent, across-the-board income tax cut that will be completed by the 2009 tax year.
  'These income tax cuts will provide Ohio families more money each paycheck to invest in what matters most to them,' Strickland said."
• 10/01/07 Department of Taxation: Sales Tax Collection Rules Won't Change
  (EXCERPT: "Ohio retailers who engage in delivery sales will not be required to change the way they calculate sales taxes starting Jan. 1, the Ohio Department of Taxation announced today.

  Today was the deadline for Ohio Tax Commissioner Richard A. Levin to certify whether the Governing Board of the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement had approved changes sought by the Ohio General Assembly earlier this year to exempt small retailers from a move to destination sourcing of the sales tax.

  Levin indicated today that the Governing Board has not agreed to these changes."

• 09/17/07 About 482,000 More Homeowners Have Applied for Property Tax Relief; Tax Commissioner: Deadline is Oct. 1
  (EXCERPT: "Time is running out to sign up for the newly-expanded homestead exemption, which offers more than a half million additional senior citizens and disabled Ohioans hundreds of dollars of property tax savings starting with taxes paid next year.

  Tax Commissioner Richard A. Levin said today that county auditors must receive homestead exemption applications by Oct. 1 in order for taxpayers to receive property tax relief on their 2007 bills, which are payable next year. Forms postmarked by Oct. 1 – but received after that day – will not be accepted by auditors, he said."

• 09/14/07 Tax Commissioner Warns Seniors to be Wary of Homestead Schemes
  (EXCERPT: "Ohio Tax Commissioner Richard A. Levin today warned senior citizens to be on the look out for individuals who are attempting to charge seniors fees in order to help sign up for the homestead exemption.

  'Applying for the homestead exemption is free. All you have to do is fill out a simple, one-page form,' Levin said. 'We are offering meaningful property tax relief to senior citizens, and I’d hate to see it siphoned off by middle men trying to make a quick buck.' ”

• 09/10/07 Seneca, Hardin Counties wil get Additional Time to File State Taxes
  (EXCERPT: "Ohio Tax Commissioner Richard A. Levin announced today that Ohio residents and businesses in Seneca and Hardin counties will be granted an extension to Oct. 15, 2007 to file and pay Ohio taxes.

Extended deadlines had already been offered to residents and businesses in the six Ohio counties initially declared federal disaster areas because of severe flooding during August."

• 08/31/07 Flood-stricken Counties will get Additional Time to File State Taxes
  (EXCERPT: "Ohio Tax Commissioner Richard A. Levin announced today that Ohio residents and businesses stricken by last week's severe flooding will be granted an extension to Oct. 15, 2007 to file and pay Ohio taxes.

The extended deadlines apply to residents and businesses in the six Ohio counties that were declared federal disaster areas on Monday: Allen, Crawford, Hancock, Putnam, Richland and Wyandot counties."

• 08/23/07 Over 368,000 Ohioans Have Applied for Property Tax Relief
  (EXCERPT: "With the deadline more than a month away, more than 368,000 senior citizens and disabled homeowners across Ohio have already applied for the newly-expanded homestead exemption, the Ohio Department of Taxation announced today.

The number of new homestead applications was compiled by the Department of Taxation through a quick survey of Ohio's county auditors as of Friday, August 17. The department also released county-by-county totals today on its Web site."                           

• 08/13/07 Gibbs Represents Ohio on National Sales Tax Task Force
  (EXCERPT: "State Rep. Bob Gibbs is now representing Ohio on a national task force reviewing the impact of a shift to destination sourcing of the sales tax and developing solutions to mitigate the impact on businesses.

The outcome of the task force's work could determine whether or not Ohio remains a part of  the Streamlined Sales Tax Project, a multi-state effort to make it easier for busineses to comply with sales and use taxes on transactions across state lines. Ohio is currently the largest state participating in the Streamlined Sales Tax Project."

• 07/03/07 Property Tax Savings Now Available to Ohio Senior Citizens
  (EXCERPT: "Senior citizens and disabled Ohioans may now apply with their local county auditor to lower the size of the property tax bills on their home through the newly-expanded Homestead Exemption.
  The Homestead Exemption expansion – signed into law on Saturday by Governor Ted Strickland as part of Ohio’s two-year operating budget – will allow senior citizen homeowners and permanently and totally disabled homeowners, regardless of income, to shield $25,000 of the market value of their home from property taxes. The exemption is also available for manufactured home taxes."
• 02/01/07 Ohio Department of Taxation Announces Delay in Destination Sales Implementation
  (EXCERPT: "Ohio retailers whose delivery sales in calendar year 2005 totaled less than $30 million are getting a break from a provision of the Streamlined Sales Tax Agreement that would have required them to shift this year to a destination-based means of calculating sales tax.
  Ohio Tax Commissioner Richard Levin decided today to not issue a Tax Commissioner’s Journal Entry stating that certified service provider services are available in the state, thus exempting retailers below the $30 million threshold from the requirement. These retailers can continue to calculate sales tax using origin-based sourcing, or location of the sale, which is normally their store location."
• 02/01/07 Ohio's Income Tax 'News': Filing Deadline - Forms - Rates - Chance to File Online
  (EXCERPT: "The 2007 income tax filing season is bringing a number of ‘news’ to taxpayers including a new deadline for filing tax; new, lower income tax rates; new, easier-to-use (but longer) income tax forms; and a new opportunity to join the millions of Ohioans who file their tax return online.
  The good news for taxpayers includes a change in the deadline for filing Ohio tax returns. It has been pushed back one day to Tuesday, April 17th from the original April 16 deadline. "
  
• 02/01/07 Former Deputy Tax Commissioner Selected as Newest Hall of Fame Member
  (EXCERPT: "Former Ohio Deputy Tax Commissioner Carol Bessey was inducted into the Ohio Tax Hall of Fame here during a ceremony at the 16th annual Ohio Tax Conference Tuesday, January 30. She was the seventh person and first woman to receive the honor   since the hall was founded in 2001.
  Ohio Tax Commissioner Richard Levin announced her induction during a ceremony at the conference. More than 900 people attended the two-day event."
  
• 02/01/07 Ohio Department of Taxation Informs Retailers of New Cuyahoga County Cigarette Tax
  (EXCERPT: "Effective today, cigarette smokers in Cuyahoga County will pay 30 cents more tax per pack due to the voter-approved tax to fund arts and cultural facilities and programs.
  Agents from the Ohio Department of Taxation (ODT) are visiting cigarette retailers  throughout the county this week to remind vendors of the change and and the requirement to file a floor stock tax return. Returns are due March 5. "
• 01/31/07 Department of Taxation Picks New Legislation Chief
  (EXCERPT: "Tom Walsh, a senior staffer from the Ohio General Assembly, has joined the Ohio Department of Taxation as Administrator of the Legislation Division. Walsh, 30, brings a strong background in tax policy and budgetary issues to the department.
• 01/10/07 New State Tax Team in Place
  (EXCERPT: "New Tax Commissioner Richard Levin today, in one of his first official acts,   announced his management team at a meeting of Ohio Department of Taxation (ODT) administrators in Columbus. Levin began work Monday, returning to lead the department where he worked for 20 years  beginning in 1971 as a researcher and leaving in 1991 as a deputy director. Levin left to form a consulting firm in Columbus that focused on state budget and tax policy issues. He left the firm when Ohio Governor Ted Strickland appointed him to the state’s top tax job.