Trustees, Council Act to Minimize Property Tax Increases
Village and township officials across Geauga County are dealing with the property reappraisal that triggered an increase in property values and raised taxes across Geauga County.
Village and township officials across Geauga County are dealing with the property reappraisal that triggered an increase in property values and raised taxes across Geauga County.
Burton Village Council, and Claridon and Auburn township trustees met Nov. 6 to decide how best to ameliorate the affect increased property taxes will have on their constituents.
Burton Village Council passed a resolution to roll back its police levy from 2 mills to 1.64 mills for 2024.
Claridon Township Trustees voted to reduce the collection of its 2.3-mill fire and EMS levy to 0.88 mills for 2024.
Auburn Township Trustees approved a resolution to rescind for one year the 1-mill road and bridge levy they were going to put on the March ballot.
All three entities will be using tax money they receive from the increase in inside millage to minimize the increased amount of property tax their residents will be charged in 2024.
The state requires every county to reappraise properties every six years. Residential property values in Geauga County have increased an average of nearly 30% in the last six years, according to the Geauga County Auditor’s Office.
However, that tax increase only affects unvoted millage, not levy millage voters have approved. The county automatically collects taxes on 10 mills of property values every year and disperses it.
Each municipality, township and school district will be receiving tax money from that increased inside millage, but may not see large increases in voted millage. Some are rolling back a voted levy by the amount of additional tax money they will be receiving next year to offset the burden on taxpayers.
Burton
Burton Mayor Ruth Spanos said the increase to taxes is a significant amount, especially on top of inflation.
“I have a problem saying people should pay more as property values increase,” she said. “That is why I think the 50% reduction evens it out.”
Burton Village residential property valuations increased by almost 24%, according to information handed out during a meeting with Geauga County Budget Commission.
The resolution Burton Village Council passed said the budget commission has recommended villages consider offsetting the unexpected inside millage tax increase and provide tax relief to property owners by reducing collection of existing, voter-approved village levies.
The reduction of the police levy will provide village property owners with a total of $11,848 in property tax relief for 2024, according to the resolution.
The resolution also notes, of the inside millage taxes collected in the county, the school districts receive 45% of the revenue, townships and municipalities receive 30% of inside millage revenue and the county receives 25% of the inside millage yield.
Property tax revenue distributed to the village due to increased inside millage will be put to good use, said council member Craig Miller.
“We will use part of our windfall to cover the police department and give citizens a little relief,” he said.
Fiscal Officer Jennell Dahlhausen said the reason property values have increased is because the housing market has seen a dramatic rise over the last few years.
Claridon Township
Claridon Township Trustees approved a resolution to reduce collection of the 2.3-mill fire and EMS levy to 0.88 mills for 2024.
“This is going to relieve the financial burden on our residents,” said Trustee Jonathan Tiber. “This reduces collection by $67,000 because we are collecting that much more (from the inside millage taxes).”
Claridon’s residential property tax increased an average of 22.4%, according to the auditor’s chart.
Auburn Township
Auburn Township Trustee Gene McCune said property values have gone up over the last six years.
At one point, homes were selling well above asking price, he said.
He attended the budget commission meeting and said Geauga County is the only county so far to try to alleviate tax increases caused by the reappraisal.
Trustees agreed to remove a 1-mill road and bridge levy from the ballot in March so residents won’t have to pay additional taxes to inside millage.
“This is the biggest increase in property taxes since 1978,” McCune said. “It’s not our fault, it’s not the government’s fault. It’s just what happened with real estate. This is a one-year solution. We are hoping the state will grant relief down the road.”
The levy, if it had passed, would have yielded about $250,000, he said.
Overall, the inside millage yield from the township would have been about $268,000, McCune said.
He recommended residents go to the auditor’s website to calculate how much their taxes will go up.
