CINCINNATI — Concerns over property taxes continue to be on the minds of many Ohio homeowners.
Leaders at the Statehouse have implemented one solution to give each county the option of helping certain people.
Within Ohio’s operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year, one option includes a local “piggyback” homestead exemption benefit.
Typically, the homestead exemption is strictly a state tax break for the elderly, disabled and veterans. Outside of some exemptions, homeowners must have an income of no more than $40,000 to qualify.
However, the local exemption would be separate. The reductions in property tax bills would instead come at a cost to local governments and would not be reimbursed by the state.
WATCH: How this exemption could result in significant costs to local governments
We've spoken to various residents locally who want to see more relief come their way. That includes Greg Romine, a Bond Hill resident who talked to us back in April.
Romine said his property taxes have nearly tripled in the last couple of years.
“It’s unbelievable,” Romine said. “It’s like you can’t stay where you want to be comfortable at anymore.”
The decision to implement the local exemption comes down to county commissioners.
While many agree that a solution is needed for homeowners, not everyone views this as the right option.
At a meeting Thursday, many local government and school district leaders spoke out, voicing their opposition to the proposal.
Hamilton County Auditor Jessica Miranda said if the exemption is passed, the county would take a huge hit.
“For the county, it means a loss of $34 million in revenue across our school districts, our townships, our cities, villages and our county services,” Miranda said.
She’s not the only one worried about potential revenue loss. Here’s how much representatives from different townships, service boards and school districts said they’d stand to lose annually:
- Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS): $7.5 million
- Northwest Local School District: $2.2 million
- Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board: $2 million
- Oak Hills Local School District: $1.8 million
- Forest Hills Local School District: $1.7 million
- Green Township: $1.3 million
- Sycamore Community Schools: $1.2 million
- Delhi Township: $622,000
We spoke to CPS Superintendent Shauna Murphy after the meeting to see how the revenue loss would impact her students.
“Parents will start to see a reduction in services to our students,” Murphy said.
Murphy said the money they stand to lose would equal the salary and benefits of roughly 66 teachers.
“This is about lives,” Murphy said.
We also spoke to Delhi Township Administrator Skylor Miller on Thursday, who spoke about the roughly $622,000 in revenue the township would stand to lose.
“That’s more than our entire road program, so that’s no paving for the entire year,” Miller said.
Not only that, Miller said it would make an impact on first responders.
“That would reduce my staffing in my fire department by three people every day,” Miller said.
Of everyone we spoke to who opposes the exemption, each person said they believe the funding should come from the state.
They said they believe state lawmakers need to do more to provide property tax relief that is beneficial to everyone.
“Taking away these funds, pushing the burden onto the local government, it’s just the easy way out,” Miller said.
County commissioners have until the end of the month to make a decision on the exemption.
While it’s unclear how they’ll vote, we caught up with Commissioner Denise Driehaus, who said she feels there are better options.
“This is a wrong-minded idea,” said Driehaus. “There are plenty of options on the table. We’re pursuing those, the state is pursuing those and so I think that’s the direction to go in.”
