  We argue that there are both experimental and theoretical reasons to
reconsider the construction of KSVZ-like axion models. From the experimental
side, predictions for the axion-photon coupling are not consistent with the
collection of astrophysical hints. From the theoretical side, we find that the
construction can be conceptually simplified. In particular, it contains an
unnecessary assumption on the type of the gauge theory involved which has
far-reaching consequences for low energy axion phenomenology. In order to relax
this assumption, we allow heavy fermions of the KSVZ-like models to carry
magnetic charge. We then show that the axion-photon coupling is generically
dominated by the axial anomaly of magnetic currents. Finally, we derive the
expression for magnetic anomaly coefficients, which determine the range of
numerical values for the axion-photon coupling.
