Ohio governor proposes raising tax on cigarettes

OHIO — Gov. Mike DeWine outlined his priorities this week in his State of the State address, emphasizing his proposed $200 billion budget.

While Republicans control both the House and Senate, some lawmakers remain hesitant about key aspects of the plan, particularly tax increases on cigarettes and sports gambling.

DeWine’s budget proposal includes raising the cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack to fund a child tax credit, which would provide $1,000 per child for families with children under the age of seven.

Additionally, he seeks to double the sports gambling tax from 20% to 40%, with the revenue allocated for stadium repairs and youth sports programs.

Republican lawmakers are weighing the costs and potential impacts of these changes.

With three months to finalize the budget, they will continue reviewing and adjusting the plan before sending it back to DeWine by the end of June.