CLEVELAND, Ohio - Your library and the Cleveland Metroparks make up a small slice of your property tax bill. But if property taxes were abolished, the beloved institutions would be devastated.

We’re talking about how the state government’s choice to give to the rich has hurt parks and libraries -- and your pocketbook -- on Today in Ohio.

Listen online here.

Editor Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with editorial board member Lisa Garvin, impact editor Leila Atassi and content director Laura Johnston.

Voters have been supportive of levies for parks and libraries, often by wide margins like 60–77%. However, recent legislative actions threaten to override these local votes, potentially crippling funding for these institutions.

Libraries in Cleveland Metro Parks depend heavily on property taxes, with about 60% of their $177 million budget from them. Cuyahoga County Public Library relies on property taxes for nearly 70%, and Cleveland Public Library gets 57%. If a constitutional amendment abolishing property taxes is approved, these institutions would lose well over half their income instantly, threatening closures, program cuts, and staff layoffs.

Legislation has also overridden Governor DeWine’s veto of measures banning replacement levies, tools that help communities renew or slightly increase taxes—and allow counties to cut taxes they find unnecessary. Such measures could undermine the will of local voters who support these levies, many by over 60%.

Property taxes make up a tiny fraction of homeowners’ bills—about $70 to $130 annually per $100,000 of home value—but fund key community amenities that contribute to Northeast Ohio’s livability, like parks and libraries.

The legislature’s actions reflect a broader trend of underfunding local communities, shifting more burden to local voters, often causing them to repeatedly vote on levies. This legislative trend favors the wealthy and undermines the support for public institutions vital to community life.

Efforts are underway to reverse this trend, including targeted campaigns to increase voter engagement in key Cleveland wards, aiming for a bigger turnout in 2026 midterms. These include distributing flyers, mailing vote request forms, and phone banking to boost participation and restore political power to ordinary voters.

Ohio lawmakers’ focus on attacking the funding structure reveals an agenda driven by favoritism toward the wealthy and a desire to weaken public unions and institutions. The coalition of teachers, police, firefighters, and other public employees is uniting to oppose these changes and protect their pensions and collective bargaining rights.

In other news, a rare creature was found in the Chagrin River— a bilateral-colored crawfish that’s only known from about ten instances worldwide, with most in the USA and Australia. Scientists believe the mutation was caused by a cell division error, leading to a unique two-toned shell.

At Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, efforts are underway to help nervous flyers with the new Hopkins Flight School, offering a simulated airport experience and education to ease flying fears, especially regarding takeoff and landing.

Finally, a recent decline in the Six Flags amusement parks’ leadership signals possible struggles following a merger with Cedar Fair, with top executives stepping down, and stock plummeting more than 60%. Concerns grow over the future of prized parks like Cedar Point, which risk losing their high standards amid financial and operational challenges.

In local politics, a campaign led by Cuyahoga County Democrats aims to increase voter turnout in specific Cleveland wards ahead of 2026, emphasizing the importance of the ballot in shaping policy and reversing trends of urban voter apathy.

Amid changing policies, Cleveland officials are also responding to federal and state efforts to regulate THC products, including bans that could impact the proliferation of unlicensed smoke shops, which have been causing health and safety concerns near schools and parks.