Ohio Department of Taxation About the Department

Ohio Tax Commissioner Joseph W. Testa

Joseph W. Testa was appointed Ohio Tax Commissioner by Governor John Kasich in January 2011. He is the 18th tax commissioner to lead the Ohio Department of Taxation.

Testa leads an agency of nearly 1,400 employees with a mission to administer and enforce most state and many local government taxes, including the state income tax, state and local sales taxes, and several business and excise taxes. All told, these taxes provide approximately $24 billion in revenues to support funding of Ohio’s schools and colleges, Medicaid, law enforcement, transportation and a myriad of other public services.

Testa joined the department with nearly 30 years of public service, including a 25 year record of accomplishment as an elected official. He was first elected Franklin County (OH) Recorder in 1985 and held that office until 1992. As Recorder he was responsible for the recording of all real estate transactions, liens and various other documents as prescribed by Ohio law.

Testa then was elected to the office of Franklin County Auditor, a position he held for 17 years until stepping away from office in 2009. As Auditor, he was responsible for managing an office with approximately 185 employees and entrusted with the appraisal of all real estate in the county, various fiscal services, involvement with personal property and estate taxes, and providing for Information Technology services for county government. He received numerous awards in office including twice being selected as Auditor of the Year by the County Auditor’s Association of Ohio and chosen twice for the Outstanding Auditor Award by the Auditor of State (OH).

During and after his tenure as an elected official, Testa taught graduate and undergraduate courses in management, business analysis and technique, ethics, and organizational systems. Before entering public service, Testa worked in the private sector in management with a food products company.

Testa earned a Master of Labor & Human Resources degree from The Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration from the University of Central Florida.

Testa is a veteran having served in the U.S. Navy (1968-72) from which he received a Vietnam Service Medal.

He is married, the father of two sons, and has three granddaughters.