As frustration about soaring property taxes continues, the Ohio House will soon vote on a Republican-backed bill that would allow counties, cities and other local governments to block library levies from the ballot.

But libraries said the bill will hurt them and the voters deserve the right to make the decision on those money issues.

Sponsoring Rep. Brian Lorenz (R-Powell) said House Bill 137 ends the mandate that a proposed library levy must be presented to voters, and gives local taxing authorities the power to review them.

"This mandate can lead to voter fatigue and the potential dilution of support for essential services," Lorenz said in a committee hearing on the bill in March. "By granting taxing authorities the discretion to assess and if necessary decline these levy requests

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