Property tax rates increase across Northeast Ohio

Published: Sunday, January 08, 2012, 5:15 AM     Updated: Sunday, January 08, 2012, 9:36 AM By Rich Exner, The Plain Dealer 

Home values are down from a few years ago but the property tax bills are as high as ever for many homeowners across the area who must pay the first half of their 2012 bills over the next several weeks.

That's because the property tax rates are up nearly everywhere.

Some increases are the result of new taxes approved by voters. In other cases, declining home values led to an increase in rates so levies approved years ago could collect as much money as before.

The Plain Dealer analyzed changes in property tax rates over six years to cover two complete home appraisal cycles for communities in its seven-county coverage area. The various counties update property values in different years.

During the last six years, tax rates increased in 95 percent of the taxing districts across Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit counties. And in more than a fourth of the cases, the tax rates are up at least 20 percent.

It comes as a surprise to many homeowners who have seen home values plummet by double-digit percentages as fallout from the recession and foreclosure crisis. Geauga County, for example, reduced residential property values, on average, 4.9 percent last year. Some residents expected their tax bill would go down as well.

"Tax bills didn't go down," Geauga County Auditor Frank Gliha said.

"I had a guy call me the other day complaining that his property tax bill went up although his home value went down. I told him it went up for two reasons. It went up because there was a new levy in his area and because of House Bill 920."

House Bill 920, enacted by Ohio lawmakers in 1976, was designed to prevent collections from many property taxes from automatically going up with inflation. But in the rare cases when property values decrease, the rates can go up.

Property values last year were reduced 7.9 percent in Summit County, the only other area county to adjust its rates. Summit County hasn't yet mailed bills for taxes due in mid-February, but some residents have seen uncertified figures on the county's website and called officials to ask about increases.

"We're finding several areas where although the values fell, the tax bills have increased because of levies," said Tom Minninger, Summit's appraisal supervisor. Minninger said people tend to forget levies that might have been approved last May.

Most property tax money goes to local schools, but cities, townships, park districts, libraries, counties and community colleges also receive portions.