Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy announced he wants to end the state income tax.

“I’ll put Ohio on a path to eliminate its income tax. We’re the state that sent the first man to walk on the moon. Ending the state income tax won’t be our greatest feat,” Ramaswamy said.

Per Forbes:

Vivek Ramaswamy launched his bid to be Ohio’s next governor in Cincinnati on February 24. The next day his campaign received a game-changing boost with the announcement of President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Should Ramaswamy be elected in 2026 to replace Governor Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), he will inherit a state tax and regulatory climate that legislators in Columbus have made more hospitable in recent years through a series of reforms, but which many believe still has more room for improvement.

While governors and lawmakers have enacted income tax relief in half of the states over the past four years, some of the greatest rate reduction has been achieved in Ohio. Since 2010, Ohio lawmakers have reduced the state’s top personal income tax rate from more than 5.9% to 3.5%. Among the bolder aspects of Ramaswamy’s campaign platform is his goal to make Ohio a leading competitor in the race to become the next no-income-tax state.

When asked by NBC’s Youngstown affiliate about his proposal to phase out Ohio’s income tax, Ramaswamy told 21 News he “believes that removing income tax will attract more people to the state and help with economic growth.” Ramaswamy pointed out that not only do eight states already get by without an income tax, Ohio and most other states are losing residents to no-income-tax states. Ramaswamy contends that making Ohio the nation’s ninth no-income-tax state will help attract new residents, as well as keep existing ones from leaving.

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“We didn’t have a federal income tax before 1913 & it’s only after the U.S. adopted it that we saw the explosion of the federal bureaucracy & entitlement state. That’s not a coincidence, it’s a cause-and-effect relationship. We’ll do our part in Ohio by eliminating the state income tax over time here at home,” Ramaswamy said.

WATCH:

From The Columbus Dispatch:

Can Ohio do away with income or property taxes?

Millionaire Ohio governor candidate Vivek Ramaswamy says it can get rid of both — and should.

The former presidential hopeful’s assertions are being backed up by other Ohio Republicans.

“Ohio can become the first state in the nation to dissolve property tax, but we need a governor who is courageous enough to lead us to the finish line,” State Representative Ron Ferguson, R-Wintersville, wrote in a recent Dispatch guest column. “Vivek opened his campaign with a bold vision to eliminate property tax.”

 

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