A contentious senate race in Ohio is stressing the disconnect between the Democratic Party’s pro-tax agenda and the personal finances of some of its most prominent members.

One of those Democrats is Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, whose race against Republican Bernie Moreno may decide party control on Capitol Hill.

During his long career, Brown has voted for tax increases and against cuts regularly.

• In 2010, Brown co-sponsored Bernie Sanders’ so-called “Death Tax” bill, which would have taxed estates up to 65% after the owner’s death.
• Then, In 2013 and 2015, Brown voted NO on creating new tax funds that would have allowed the “Death Tax” to be phased out all together.
• Brown voted against – and opposed the extension of – George Bush-era tax cuts which lowered the tax rate for all income levels.
• Brown currently supports President Biden’s plan to “forgive”student loan debt, which opponents say is simply a cleverly disguised $1.4 trillion tax hike. 

In 2023, Brown faced heavy criticism for falsely claiming tax credits for his home and filing late payments on his own personal returns. 

NBC News reported Brown was late on tax payments at least seven times for his Cleveland home and was even labeled “delinquent” by Cuyahoga County for failing to make a scheduled $1,200 payment. 

Brown was also forced to pay back Franklin County for falsely claiming occupancy tax credits on a second residence in Columbus. Brown says he no longer claims those tax credits on the Columbus property, which the Franklin County clerk confirmed. 

“Perhaps these members, like Sherrod Brown, shouldn’t be getting paid their senate salary until they pay back their fair share,” Grover Norquist, founder of Americans for Tax Reform told The Post.

“Or maybe he can start flying coach instead of first class on all these special senatorial flights. That middle seat would probably make a lot of politicians very honest very quickly.”

A spokesperson for Brown told The Post that the tax credit issue was fully resolved over a year ago, but did not comment on whether the senator still owes late payments or is currently up to date on his personal returns.

”Democrats view taxes as incoming money,” Norquist continued.

“I think most of us would actually view it as outgoing money. Our loss is quite literally their gain. They see us as two groups: you pay the taxes, we’ll spend the taxes. They say ‘taxes are wonderful,’ and then we’re all out there wondering: ‘wait…wonderful for who?’”

Norquist says the problems go all the way to the top.

“It’s all of them. Even President Biden was caught at one point avoiding taxes. I’m sure Harris and the others all fear a call from the IRS just as much as the rest of us,” he told The Post.

“Hypocrite Sherrod Brown has spent his career hiking taxes on Ohioans but time and again refuses to pay his own. Brown is just another career politician who thinks he’s above the law,” NRSC Spokesman Philip Letsou told The Post. 

Experts like University of Dayton Professor Chris DeVine believe taxes will be a key issue across the country this November.

“The economy is a key factor for voters in Ohio, and throughout the United States,” he told The Post.

“Taxation is a key economic concern. One challenge for Bernie Moreno and other Republicans will be convincing voters that, contrary to Democratic messaging on this issue, their tax cuts will benefit the middle class and not just wealthy people or corporations.”

Polling shows that Brown maintains a five point lead over Moreno in the nation’s most expensive senate race.