YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – The state has given Mahoning County the tax rates for each of the 62 taxing districts in the county.
Mahoning County Auditor Ralph Meacham has received them and is calculating everyone’s property taxes. It expects to release those amounts as early as next week.
Meantime, during a presentation before the Mahoning County Commissioners’ meeting on Monday, Meacham laid out his thoughts on the financial position of the county.
There’s some value in knowing the numbers and the auditor explained some of the key points that are important to residents.
Mahoning County pulled in $65 million from sales tax collections last year. But it’s the reappraisal of property values, which are required by the state every six years, that have taken the headlines.
Meacham said, “People might not like those assessed values, but we haven’t gotten much pushback from anyone, because the values that we set out there are amounts people think they could sell the house for or better.”
The property values will be combined with the tax rate set by the state for each of the county’s 62 districts. The combination will determine property taxes for the year. Mahoning County’s reappraisal average was 38% higher among residential properties and very similar to neighboring counties.
“This is not an anomaly. You could see these values and the values are still holding,” said Meacham.
All six levies passed last year show lower effective millage rates than what voters saw on the ballot. Things like the Austintown Fire Department, the City of Campbell’s ambulance service, and even the Poland Police Department will still get the same amount of money.
Meacham added, “And that’s what the voters voted for. They weren’t voting the millage; they were voting the amount the money that subdivision or school would get. So those tax values go up. The tax rates have to go down.”
Meacham feels the county’s financial position is strong. He reminds homeowners that the county gets most of its operating funds from the sales tax, and he’s willing to listen to those who have a problem with the property value assessments.
“If people are unhappy with their assessed value — not the taxes, I can’t do anything about your taxes — but your assessed values, Board of Revision hearings can be applied for between the first of January and the last of March,” he said.
Once the application has been submitted, the county auditor will send you the information and give you an appointment. Then it’s up to you to present why you think the assigned value is not fair.
You can get that info on the auditor’s website. It’s where you can find your property taxes when they’re posted and get information on requesting a reappraisal.
