The struggle for affordable housing has become a pressing enough issue that there is a bipartisan effort in both the Ohio House and Senate to give homeowners and renters a break.

The idea is to give homeowners an income tax credit or rebate if property taxes amount to more than 5% of their income. This would apply to renters for the portion of their rent attributable to property taxes, too.

According to Rep. Dani Isaacsohn, D-Cincinnati, who spoke with WBNS, taxes are taking too much out of Ohioans’ pockets.

But Isaacsohn is not alone in understanding that. Rep. Thomas Hall, R-Madison Twp., told WBNS “House Bill 645 is bipartisan legislation that will offer a circuit breaker to eligible homeowners and renters, delivering targeted tax relief to Ohioans in direct response to the countless conversations I have been able to have with constituents across our district and the state.”

House and Senate versions of the bill differ in that the House bill provides a tiered system for relief, up to an eligible income level of $100,000. The Senate version provides credits or rebates only to households making up to $60,000.

Whichever version comes out on top, progress must not stall on this effort.

“Any action or activity that the general assembly can take that is going to allow people to be able to maintain and stay in the neighborhood they want, we’re very supportive,” Franklin County Auditor Michael Stinziano told WBNS.

It could pass before the end of the year. Let us hope that is the case. Lawmakers must not delay in finding a way to let homeowners and renters keep more of their hard earned money.