Miami County commissioners OK two property tax relief measures

Property reappraisals resulted in residential values going up on average 28%in the county, Gearhardt said.

“Today’s actions truly reflect what good government looks like — responsible balance and focused on the people we serve,” said Commissioner Greg Simmons.

The commissioners also encouraged other government agencies to reduce their millage.

$2.9 million in savings through Homestead program

The commission approved two measures, including reducing the county general fund inside millage. This will freeze the county inside millage at the tax year 2024 levels, which commissioners said will allow taxpayers to avoid a significant unvoted increase in property tax revenue for the upcoming year.

The reduction is from 2.40 mills to 1.88 mills for tax year 2025, payable in 2026. This means the county will not receive more than $2.2 million in unvoted tax revenue.

The county also will enact the Local Option Homestead Exemption allowed by the Ohio Revised Code. The county estimated this will save $2.9 million in savings to those enrolled in the program.

This measure would bring those in the general Homestead program an average annual tax savings from $379 to around $750, Gearhardt said. The county has approximately 7,000 property owners enrolled in the homestead program.

Disabled veterans and/or surviving spouses would see savings rise from $763 to approximately $1,500 a year. With this action, tax levies tied to overall county government purposes will forgo more than $450,000, the commissioners said.

‘It’s only right we take this action’

Miami County would be the third county in the state to enact this local homestead option, Gearhardt said, but added several other counties are looking at similar action.

Commissioner Wade Westfall thanked Gearhardt and his staff along with the county budget commission for its work in preparing the measures for approval.

Commissioner Ted Mercer said the county is in a “very strong financial position … and it’s only right we take this action to give taxpayers some relief.”

In his remarks, Gearhardt said with the residential values going up on average 28%, his office is estimating over all political subdivisions that have inside tax millage or because of school districts that are at the 20-mill floor could see in excess of $20 million in a spike in unvoted property tax increases across the county if rates are not looked at and adjusted. Of that total, about $15 million is because of schools being at the 20-mill floor, he said.

His office and the county Budget Commission will be providing recommendations to other political subdivisions, including the school districts that are facing the large unvoted spikes of property tax revenues.

“Hopefully, they will work with us to take action to reduce millage to forgo this large amount, to keep money in folks’ pockets instead of …local government entities when it really isn’t necessary,” Gearhardt said.