“We, as government entities, saw large increases to our revenue as a result. We were not expecting or budgeting for this increase, it just happened,” commissioners wrote. “With the unbudgeted and strikingly large increase in your revenue, we are asking you to join us in this effort.”
The rollback of $3.2 million is equal to the increase in revenue the county saw because of Ohio’s triannual property reappraisals in 2023, something County Administrator Brandon Huddleson calls “an artificial increase.”
“People are clamoring for property tax relief,” he said. “The state legislature has thus far done little to nothing to remedy the situation. We’re still hopeful that they will, but in the meantime, commissioners thought, ‘What is it that we can do?’”
Greene County’s inside millage goes toward the county’s general fund, Huddleson said. Inside millage refers to taxation that doesn’t require voter approval, as determined by state law, and doesn’t apply to voter-approved levies for county services, such as those for bridges, public health or libraries.
The county’s portion of property tax doesn’t amount to a lot to the average taxpayer, which is why the commissioners wrote the letter, Huddleson said, calling on other entities - particularly school districts - to see if they can “live with less.”
“The school districts were the biggest beneficiary of the unexpected increase in property tax dollars, and them considering a rollback would be far more impactful than anyone else,” Huddleson said.
The rollback would be for the 2025 tax year, which property owners start paying in 2026, according to county documents.
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