As a lifelong Berea resident and homeowner since 2003, Mike Dovilla understands Ohioans’ frustration with property taxes, which have increased at an unsustainable rate over the past few years. That’s why his top legislative priority this session is enacting bipartisan solutions to reduce property taxes. In 2025, Mike helped pass five laws that constitute Ohio’s most sweeping property tax reforms in almost 50 years, totaling over $3 billion in savings to homeowners. Now, Mike is continuing to work on common sense changes to the expenditure side of the ledger, advancing legislation to make responsible reforms to the size and scope of Ohio’s government.

As our state representative, Mike Dovilla:

• Protected homeowners and property tax fairness, enacting legislation to improve oversight of county budget commissions, levy processes, and property tax assessments. These reforms promote transparency, fairness, and accountability for homeowners. (H.B. 124, H.B. 309, and H.B. 335, 136^th General Assembly)
• Improved accountability in school funding and local taxes, strengthening rules governing school property taxes to ensure taxpayer dollars are used as voters intended and school funding decisions are more transparent. (H.B. 129 and H.B. 186, 136^th General Assembly)
• Introduced legislation to further reduce Ohio’s property tax burden by encouraging local governments to streamline operations. Ohio currently has almost 4,000 local government units, the fourth most of any state in the nation. While many provide essential services, the cumulative effect of this fragmented system contributes significantly to the overall property tax load on Ohio families and businesses. The Government Incentive Pilot Program for Efficiency and Reform Act takes a practical, incentive-driven approach to address that challenge – rewarding collaboration, not mandating it. (H.B. 574, 136^th General Assembly)

Mike Dovilla believes all Ohioans who want to work deserve the opportunity to find a good paying job. He knows the meaning of hard work and personal responsibility. Mike paid his own way through college in Berea by working in restaurants and later putting in 14 hour days with the U.S. Navy in Iraq. He also understands the realities of running a small business in northeast Ohio, having founded and led two successful companies over the past 20 years. Now, as our state legislator, Mike is continuing his work to encourage economic development by enacting policies that support private sector job creation.

As our state representative, Mike Dovilla:

• Delivered a responsible state budget that funds Ohio’s priorities – supporting our schools, local projects, and essential services – while ensuring long-term fiscal stability. As vice-chairman of the Finance Committee, the House’s most important standing committee, Mike serves in a trusted leadership role in the House majority. He is a key legislator who delivers results for our district, Cuyahoga County, and Greater Cleveland. (H.B. 96, 136^th General Assembly)
• Advanced affordable and reliable energy policy, enacting overdue reforms to support grid reliability, protect ratepayers, and ensure Ohio’s energy infrastructure keeps pace with economic growth. With his seat on the House Energy Committee, Mike actively represents Ohio’s residents and businesses on one of the most important areas of public policymaking for our state. (H.B. 15 and H.B. 142/S.B. 103, 136^th General Assembly)
• Supported four balanced state budgets that reigned in spending, lowered taxes, and supported a business-friendly environment for working Ohio families and small businesses. Ohio has now enacted the lowest flat income tax in the Midwest and the second-lowest rate in the country (2.75%), down from nine tax brackets and a top marginal rate of 7.5% in 2004.
• Served as House Ways and Means Committee vice-chairman, successfully eliminating Ohio’s estate tax and enacting other laws to improve the state’s climate for job creation.
• Created the Ohio Cybersecurity, Education and Economic Development Council to help drive job creation among young people in the growing information technology field and to improve alignment of state government agencies in protecting Ohioans’ private information. (B. 331, 129^th General Assembly)
• Enacted enhanced tax deductions for capital investments to support Ohio businesses seeking to remain in Ohio and expand their operations, leading to more job creation and economic development for our state. (B. 365, 129^th General Assembly)
• Established TourismOhio to highlight travel and tourism, Ohio’s fourth largest industry, which employs more than 500,000 people. (B. 489, 129^th General Assembly)
• Authored the “Welcome to Ohio” law, a common sense measure that eliminated the driving test requirement for new or returning Ohio residents with a valid driver’s license from another state. (B. 62, 130^th General Assembly)
• Established an Ohio economic gardening pilot program, an innovative approach to economic development that provided key investments for Ohio-based tier 2 companies seeking assistance with growth strategies. (H.B. 259, 130^th General Assembly)
• Supported Ohio’s manufacturers by designating every October as Ohio Manufacturing Month to continue highlighting the importance of our state’s second largest industry. (B. 77, 130^th General Assembly)
• Advocated for Ohio agriculture, the state’s largest economic sector, by creating the Ohio State Beekeepers Association license plate on behalf of the Buckeye State’s nearly 4,400 registered beekeepers and their 37,000 honeybee colonies that help pollinate plant life for much of the food we consume. (H.B. 474, 130^th General Assembly)
• Supported American and Ohio manufacturing, construction, and maritime jobs by authoring resolutions encouraging the federal government to approve construction of the TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline, citing China as a currency manipulator, and urging the federal government to support plans to upgrade the Soo Locks at Sault St. Marie. (H.R. 305 and H.R. 384, 129^th General Assembly; H.R 263, 131^st General Assembly)

Mike Dovilla is a leader in the fight for high-quality education. As a product of Berea’s public schools, a first-generation college graduate, and the recipient of three earned advanced degrees, including a doctorate in education, Mike understands the transformational impact of education. He is a vocal advocate for local control who represented more than 70 suburban public school districts as a governmental relations professional. He also supports school choice and thinks education is most effective when parents play an integral role in their children’s individual learning experiences. Mike believes that when the values of our classrooms reflect the values of our homes – and when parents are engaged in education reform – we give our children the best chance for success. As our voice at the Statehouse, Mike uses his practical experience and academic research to continue improving educational options at all levels for Ohioans.

As our state representative, Mike Dovilla:

• Voted to increase state public education funding by $700 million in the current operating budget, balancing property tax relief and reforms with additional resources for our community’s school districts. (H.B. 96, 136^th General Assembly)
• Fought successfully to support suburban public schools with budget provisions to hold harmless districts singled out for substantial reductions in state support or tangible personal property tax payments. (H.B. 59, 130^th General Assembly; H.B. 64 & H.B. 208, 131^st General Assembly)
• Authored a fiscal transparency provision to require public school districts to report annually on the percentage of expenditures used to support instruction in the classroom versus administrative overhead – an effort to provide greater clarity to taxpayers on how their dollars are spent on public education. (H.B. 153, 129^th General Assembly)
• Reformed Ohio’s charter schools in a comprehensive manner for the first time in a dozen years, dramatically improving oversight, increasing transparency, and demanding accountability for this educational option. (H.B. 2, 131^st General Assembly)
• Promoted the bipartisan Cleveland Plan for Transforming Schools as House Education Committee vice-chairman, standing up for a critically important measure to improve struggling public and charter schools our region’s core city. (H.B. 525, 129^th General Assembly)
• Introduced legislation to increase teachers’ pay for educators who earn advanced degrees in fields directly related to the subjects they teach, supporting the link between compensation and subject-matter expertise in the classroom. When teachers are not only skilled educators, but also deeply knowledgeable in the subjects they teach, it strengthens the learning experience for students. (H.B. 711, 136^th General Assembly)
• Served on the House Finance Subcommittee on Higher Education, advocating for need-based financial aid and supporting increased funding for the Ohio College Opportunity Grant, directly benefiting students at Baldwin Wallace University in our district. Mike serves now on the Workforce and Higher Education Committee, working to advance legislation supporting a range of post-secondary and career options for Ohioans, from career technical education and community colleges to four-year institutions of higher education.
• Maintained close partnerships with our school districts, meeting frequently with board members, superintendents, treasurers, teachers, and retired educators – and visiting classrooms to talk with teachers and students.
• Created the “Legislator for a Day” reading program, a partnership with Cuyahoga County Public Library branches and public elementary schools in our district, to encourage youngsters to read and learn about Ohio history and government. In eight years, the program has engaged over 1,500 students in grades 1-6 who have read more than 6,500 books. It also provides opportunities for students and parents to visit Columbus for a mock legislative session to practice civil, civic dialogue, a VIP tour of the Ohio Statehouse, and lunch with Mike.
• Partnered with Baldwin Wallace University, serving as an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Political Science, offering regular guest lectures in multiple departments, and providing district office internships and mentoring opportunities to students seeking substantive experience on a wide array of public policy subjects. Mike served for seven years as a member-at-large of BW’s National Alumni Council and he continues to volunteer as an active advisor to a campus student organization.

In recent years, Ohioans have lost trust in politicians from both parties in Columbus and Washington. Ethical scandals, unfulfilled campaign promises, and bureaucracies that duplicate effort and waste taxpayer dollars have caused many to lose faith in their government and elected officials.  Mike Dovilla takes seriously the role of public servant and believes government should be accountable for every tax dollar spent. A principled leader and independent thinker, Mike runs a transparent, accessible, and responsive office that works tirelessly to represent the best interests of the more than 125,000 residents of Berea, Broadview Heights, North Royalton, Olmsted Falls, Olmsted Township, and Strongsville.

As our state representative, Mike Dovilla:

• Served as House Government Policy and Legislative Oversight Committee chairman, leading the Legislature’s effort to improve state government accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness on behalf of Ohio’s nearly 12 million residents.
• Enacted legislation requiring a comprehensive audit of Ohio’s Medicaid system, rooting out fraud to save Ohio taxpayers’ money while ensuring this social program remains fully funded and sustainable for those who truly need it. (H.B. 356, 136^th General Assembly, enacted as part of H.B. 96)
• Introduced and advanced government reform legislation to reign in metropolitan planning organizations like NOACA, strengthen the power of the Ohio Inspector General to investigate fraud, waste, and abuse, and eliminate “catch-all” administrative rules written by unelected bureaucrats in Columbus. (H.B. 445, H.B. 683, and H.B. 775, 136^th General Assembly)
• Initiated the “Open Ohio” financial transparency initiative to require the Ohio government to maintain an online database of state agencies’ expenditures. The project continues to this day at https://checkbook.ohio.gov. (H.B. 175, 130^th General Assembly; H.B. 46, 131^st General Assembly)
• Introduced anti-corruption provisions to help restore public trust in government by stripping the public pensions of felons convicted of the state-level crimes of extortion and perjury and equivalent federal crimes. (H.B. 323, 129^th General Assembly; H.B. 162, 130^th General Assembly; H.B. 284, 131^st General Assembly)
• Established the Common Sense Initiative (CSI), putting safeguards in place to prevent burdensome government regulations on Ohio’s businesses from going into effect. (S.B. 2, 129^th General Assembly)
• Initiated performance audits for state agencies to ensure government is running more efficiently and effectively. (S.B. 4, 129^th General Assembly)
• Created a government fraud reporting system to provide a mechanism to report and stop the waste of taxpayer dollars. (H.B. 66, 129^th General Assembly)
• Held 55 sets of district office hours in libraries and coffee shops throughout our legislative district to provide direct, in-person access for residents to meet their state legislator and share their views on the issues. Mike believes public service is a public trust, and civil, civic dialogue with others is a hallmark of his approach to leadership.
• Exchanged tens of thousands of communications with constituents via email, telephone, and letter, providing direct, transparent feedback on a wide range of public policy issues. Mike also regularly supports constituents with casework, interacting with state agencies and Congressional offices on federal matters on behalf of district residents. Jeremy Wald, our office’s legislative aide, was recognized by his peers as the Ohio House of Representatives’ Legislative Aide of Distinction for the second half of 2025.