Commissioners to consider policy response after state property-tax task force issues recommendations

Butler County administrators briefed commissioners on an executive summary from the governor's property-tax task force that examined options for property-tax relief and possible statutory changes.

Administrator Boyko said the task force, convened by Governor Mike DeWine, issued a report and a roughly 16-page executive summary on Sept. 30 outlining a range of recommendations, including review of replacement levies, a 20-mill floor for certain levies, the possibility of sunsets for some exemptions and a property tax deferral program for qualifying seniors and those eligible for the homestead exemption. The administrator said the summary "says lots but not much," and that the document did not address some local concerns such as averaging values over multiple years.

Commissioner Dixon and Commissioner Rogers discussed ideas including circuit-breaker mechanisms tied to income, caps on annual increases, and averaging valuations to avoid one-year spikes. County staff told commissioners the budget commission is composed of the auditor, treasurer and prosecutor and that a draft recommendation would give the budget commission greater authority to make levy reductions after a public hearing before the budget commission (not the Board of Commissioners), per the summary.

Administrator Boyko offered to assemble a policy-position draft reflecting the board's views that could be sent to state legislators. Commissioners asked for a copy of the task force executive summary and discussed specific items they would like to see included in a county policy response. No formal county position was adopted at the meeting; staff said they would circulate the summary and prepare a draft policy statement if the commissioners wished to pursue it.