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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.
Scott Elliott is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He writes about education, city and suburban issues, politics, business, workforce and consumer issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2010 > October > 06 > Entry
Editorial: Keith better for auditor
2010 Election
Click here to read letters of support for these candidates.
It’s never easy to get voters’ attention for low-profile elective offices. Give Harry Bossey credit for trying, but he’s swinging recklessly.
Mr. Bossey is a Republican who wants to unseat Karl Keith, Montgomery County’s Democratic auditor who has been on the job for 10 years. Mr. Bossey hopes to tap property owners’ resentment of property taxes generally and the specific fact that, though housing prices have fallen, homeowners haven’t seen their property taxes quickly drop with the market.
About the appraisal process: By law, the auditor appraises properties every six years and then updates that assessment three years later. The last update was in 2008; the next big, comprehensive appraisal will be in 2011.
This means that the appraisal of your property is based mainly on what was happening in the market in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Mr. Keith is quick to add, though, that because prices were starting to dive even in 2007, the appraisals he set in 2008 were — with the state’s approval — generally discounted the values by 10 percent. But then, in the fall of 2008, the economy and the real estate market really tanked.
Notwithstanding the depressed market, most homeowners haven’t seen cuts in their property valuations or taxes, even though houses around them aren’t selling or are going for bargain prices. But keep this in mind: the fact that the county is always playing catch-up with regard to the market value of property is frustrating when the prices are going down, but when values are increasing, property owners effectively get a tax break.
If homeowners thinks an old appraisal is off the mark, they can appeal the valuation. Montgomery County had in the neighborhood of 6,100 appeals in 2009, about double the largest number it has ever had before.
Mr. Bossey sees the situation as the fault of Mr. Keith. But he’s oversimplifying to a fault. Mr. Keith doesn’t control the timing of the appraisal process, and the number of appeals isn’t an indictment of him either in an especially chaotic market.
Mr. Bossey, a certified accountant who has an import-export business in Miamisburg, really goes overboard in his charges that Mr. Keith is favoring Democratic officeholders and contributors whom he says are paying less in property taxes than some of their neighbors.
When pressed about his allegations, Mr. Bossey insists he isn’t suggesting illegality, just that Mr. Keith isn’t being fair. That’s disingenuous. After an interview in which he flung his charges, Mr. Bossey thought better of them and retracted some. He’s sticking to his complaint, however, that Mr. Keith’s friends know of opportunities for tax breaks that others don’t.
A Democratic activist, Mr. Keith has long been a fixture in county government. He’s knowledgeable about his office and local government. He also is active in the state auditors association, which — to the good — offers professional development.
On the other hand, the group goes to bat for auditors every time somebody dares to question why Ohio’s 88 counties need to elect an auditor who doesn’t really audit. (Besides overseeing property appraisals and property tax assessments, county auditors have bookkeeping and record-keeping responsibilities for the county, and they verify that gas pumps and grocery scales are accurate. They also license dogs.)
Republicans collectively — and Mr. Bossey specifically — are doing a public service by challenging Mr. Keith. County administrative offices — if they’re not watched — can get sleepy or become havens for political hangers-on.
The challenge itself is not where Mr. Bossey is going wrong. Rather, his problem is that he doesn’t inspire confidence with allegations he can’t support.
Mr. Keith should keep his job.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment | Categories: 2010 endorsements, Editorials, Ellen Belcher, Montgomery County
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By Ken
October 6, 2010 6:41 AM | Link to this
Mr.Bossey’s statements have been the mantra of Sheriff Phil Plummer for the past 18 months. As the lone Republican office holder of any significance in the County, he has lead the charge with some of these wild accusations against both Keith and the County Commissioners and County Prosecutor. We Republicans expect better.
By Ken
October 6, 2010 6:42 AM | Link to this
Mr.Bossey’s statements have been the mantra of Sheriff Phil Plummer for the past 18 months. As the lone Republican office holder of any significance in the County, he has lead the charge with some of these wild accusations against both Keith and the County Commissioners and County Prosecutor. We Republicans expect better.
By JS
October 6, 2010 8:29 AM | Link to this
Just another symptom of why the Gem/GOP duopoly has to be swept away; the strategies of most campaigns are a focus on the records of opponents, expecially when specifics are involved, so they don’t have to speak about their own goals in office. The catch comes when you try to pin any campaign down on what they WOULD do, rather than what the other did wrong (as they see it). And we, the people, keep letting it happen. We accept it, and in many cases, embrace it. Some revel in it. Until we stop voting for Dems and Repubs, until we stop voting for the puppets of special interests, we will never see any better than what we’ve gotten.
By Questions
October 6, 2010 9:26 AM | Link to this
The editorial notes 6100 appeals were filed in 2009. How many were lowered? How many remained the same ? How many were appealed to the State of Ohio or through the courts? How many cases are unresolved? What triggers action (how many years are taxes delinquent) by the auditor before foreclosure? What is the outstanding balance of delinquent taxes in Montgomery County and how do you intend to collect them?? Did the editorial board ask these questions?
By Tom
October 6, 2010 11:30 AM | Link to this
The endorsement is written as if they made up their mind and then tried to justify it. The 2008 reappraisal should have been a reflection of what the value of the prop was on Jan 1 of 2008. It has nothing to do wiht 2005 or 2006. Are you folks really knowledgeable enough to even be writing this endorsement? It is ironic that the article mentions the potential to become safe havens for “political hangers on”. How about a safe haven for friends and family? The director of real estate was an admin assistant before the current job. Oh yea, her brother is a star from days gone by in the dem party. The mayor of Vandalia works there, commissioner Dodge’s daughter did at one time, Nan Whaley did, Lieberman did, Matt Heck’s son, relatives to folks in the board of elections, and so on, and so on. I’ll bet if Bossey wins the commissioners finally cut the auditor’s budget way back which it should be. Bottom line folks, we need politicians working for the citizens who have our best interest at heart and not and R or a D next to their name. Mr Keith is not that person. His office and budget is bloated and their decisions are largely motivated by things other than what is right or legal. A good example is why did much of the ground at Austin Road remained in CAUV (significantly discounted property taxes for farm ground) AND carried about $3,000 per acre for years even though it was not farmed since before the Mead Corp owned it and was purchased 4 or 5 years ago for almost $100,000 per acre. Now this year, they have corrected this for the most part however you can not find the historic values for these parcels on the auditor’s website anymore. HMMMM!!! How convienent. Is that fair to the tax payers and schools? Is that what Montgomery County needs? Is that what the DDN stands for??? Can Bossey be any worse than what we’ve got? I’ll bet he will be better.
By bobby
October 6, 2010 5:11 PM | Link to this
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your property tax appeal, avoid the second step of appealing to the state as they are overwhelmed by state wide appeals. You may not receive a response for years. Instead, file an action against the auditor and the Board of Revision in Common Pleas Court.
By Tom
October 6, 2010 8:17 PM | Link to this
To the politically unsophisticated. Karl Keith will blow Mr. Bossey out.
By One Case
October 7, 2010 6:09 AM | Link to this
Here is one case that demonstrates just how poorly the folks that Karl Keith sends out to appraise do their job: I purchased a home in 2007 for $100K. It was at $110K on the books, but in 2008 Keith’s cronies did no research and appraised it at 120K after a drive by. I’m the one that had to waste my time and go downtown and ask permission to pay taxes on what the house was actually worth!
By Another Case
October 7, 2010 10:07 AM | Link to this
I live in COD, and Karl Keith’s appraisers raised increased my property. I could not sell it for what they appraised it for. I DID appeal with 3 comps from a reputable realtor, WAS DENIED. Increase applied. Would love the same questions answered by Questions post. Vote Bossey
By Former Resident
October 14, 2010 8:15 AM | Link to this
In your defense of Mr. Keith you write that he is a “Democratic activist” and yet you deride Mr. Bossey for saying that Keith favors his democratic cronies. He has a history of employing family members of other loyal democrats and you dismiss any claims without doing your own investigation. That is obviously not what your job is, just endorse those whom you want in power. So many of your endorsements are simply maintaining the status quo. What is that doing for Montgomery County? Have you seen all the empty buildings downtown. It’s time to break down the “old boys network.” The people should not simply re-elect a “Democratic activist.” As President Lincoln told us, our government is, “of the people, by the people and for the people.” Not just democrats!