CINCINNATI (WKRC) – A group of local elected leaders called on Ohio lawmakers Thursday to take action to help families dealing with skyrocketing property taxes.
State lawmakers are proposing changes to expand eligibility for property tax relief, starting with amending the home exemption program to include anyone aged 65 or older, rather than just those who make less than $38,600 a year.
Another change is House Bill 263. This will freeze property taxes for people aged 65 and over.
If you are under 65 years old, House Bill 645 Those whose property taxes exceed 15% of their household income would be given a credit of up to $1,000. Some state lawmakers are also seeking to change the way property values are assessed every three years. They want property values to be assessed based on sales information from the past three years, not just the past 12 months.
“Last year, going into the budget cycle, Ohio had a surplus of over $7 billion. Ask any landowner that I spoke to, did that surplus give them any relief? They didn't. Last year we chose not to give them that relief, and hopefully we'll finish the session without making the same mistake,” said State Rep. Dani Isaacson.
Measures are already being taken to offset this year's steep property tax hikes, with Hamilton County leaders setting aside $6 million to help property owners, but County Commissioner Alicia Reese said it's not enough.
“This is only a temporary solution. We're just trying to hang on. We're trying a band-aid until the state puts in place a permanent solution,” Reese said.
State leaders are scheduled to meet in November to discuss the proposals.
If you live in Cincinnati and are looking for tax relief; You can also apply for the city's Home Safe program. It offers discounts of up to $10,000 to homeowners making 8% or less of the median income.
