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Garfield Heights treasurer: renewing Issue 20 preserves state rollback, homestead credits
Summary
Treasurer Philip Oco said the district's Issue 20 renewal benefits from Ohio rollback and homestead credit programs that reduce taxpayers' net levy collections to about 87.5%; a lapse would mean new levies are collected at 100%.
Treasurer Philip Oco of Garfield Heights City Schools said in a recorded message that Issue 20, the district's renewal levy, currently benefits from Ohio's rollback and homestead credit programs, reducing the net tax collection to about 87.5% for taxpayers; if the renewal lapses and a new levy is placed on the ballot and approved later, it would be collected at the full 100% rate.
That difference matters to local taxpayers because the state credits cover roughly 12.5% of the levy collection cost now; Oco warned that returning to a 100% collection rate would increase the local tax burden required to raise the same revenue.
“Did you know that Garfield Heights City Schools levies are subject to the rollback and homestead credit programs offered through the state of Ohio? In a sense, taxpayers only pay 87.5% of the total levy collection cost,” Treasurer Philip Oco said in the message. He added that “If issue 20, the district's renewal levy, expires without being renewed, a new levy will be taxed at the full 100% collection rate.”
Oco closed by offering to answer questions and encouraging community members to contact his office; he did not provide a phone number or email in the recorded excerpt. The message was a factual explanation of how state rollback and homestead credits affect levy collections, not a statement of a new policy or official board action.
