• The library and MetroParks line items on their bills.
• Recent articles in the newspaper regarding the unauthorized taxes collected for the Miami Conservancy.
Of course, it also never hurts to reiterate general information pertaining to real estate tax bills that may be forgotten from year to year.
MetroParks, library levies
Due to the economic hardships faced by state and local governments, Butler County’s parks and libraries were faced with funding shortages. In 2010, Butler County residents voted in two additional property tax levies to directly fund these services.
For a $100,000 home, taxpayers will pay about $15 annually to MetroParks and $23 annually to either the Middletown or Lane public library systems.
There are two “state-determined” library districts servicing Butler County. The Middletown Public Library district services West Chester, Liberty, Lemon, Madison and Wayne townships, as well as Middletown, Monroe and Trenton. The Lane library district services Hamilton, Fairfield, Oxford and all the remaining townships and villages.
As such, most taxpayers will read either “Middletown Public Library” or “Lane Public Library” on their tax bill line items.
Miami Conservancy
Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds’ office has detected unauthorized tax collections pertaining to part of the Miami Conservancy District tax collections, dating back several decades. (Note: In Ohio counties, the county treasurer bills according to charges set by the auditor.)
The county auditor has since removed the applicable Miami Conservancy charges from the tax bills, and the annual amount due to Miami Conservancy is now being paid out of the county’s general fund.
Callers to my office have inquired about potential refunds for these unauthorized charges but, according to the Ohio Department of Taxation, there is no provision in the law to recoup these charges as refunds.
While the numbers quoted in news stories can seem large in scale, when spanning several decades, the burden to the average taxpayer amounted to, in today’s dollars, an additional tax of around $2.50 a year to fund Miami Conservancy to maintain our dams and protect our water supply. Commissioners will have to research ways to fund the Miami Conservancy in the future.
Regardless, Auditor Reynolds and his office should be commended for uncovering and correcting errors made by former county officials.
General information
Taxpayers who escrow with a mortgage company are puzzled when they receive a tax bill from our office. First-half tax bills are sent to every parcel of record in the county in order to provide property owners information about their values, as well as the detailed breakdown of how and where property tax dollars are being sent.
If there is confusion about whether escrowed parcels should pay, according to the bill, taxpayers should look to the bottom of the page where it will state if the bill has been requested by their financial institution. Regardless of whether an escrow is in place, it is every taxpayer’s responsibility to make sure their bill is paid.
For those who do not escrow their taxes with a mortgage company and who would like to include property taxes in their monthly budgeting, our office does provide escrow payment plans. Escrow payment plans can be set up by calling our office.
When making payments through the treasurer’s office Web site, please be aware that there is an average 2.3 percent third-party convenience fee when using a credit card, but paying with electronic check incurs no such fee.
Finally, some taxpayers want to know why their tax bills increased when property values remained the same or declined. The answer is dependent upon where the property is located and what levies passed. Our office will normally instruct callers to contact the auditor’s office for details, or to compare last year’s tax bill to the current tax bill to identify any changes.
My office understands that tax bills aren’t the most pleasant things in life, but we do appreciate the kindness and patience of our callers. Please do not hesitate to contact us at (513) 887-3181 or visit our Web site at www.butlercountytreasurer.org. We are happy to be of assistance in any way possible.
Nancy Nix is the Butler County treasurer.