Richland County holds public hearing on state-authorized property tax exemptions; no immediate action

Richland County commissioners on Thursday opened a public discussion on whether to adopt two state-authorized "piggyback" property tax exemptions — the homestead exemption (up to $28,000 of market value) and a 2.5% owner-occupied credit — heard extensive comments from municipal leaders, school officials and service providers, and declined to take action at the meeting.

The discussion grew out of changes in the state budget (House Bill 96) that allow counties to mirror exemptions the state has been providing. County staff and the auditor presented spreadsheet estimates based on the credits paid in 2024 and warned that, unlike the state, the legislature did not require counties' revenue losses to be backfilled. Commissioners and staff emphasized timing constraints: action taken by a county between Oct. 1 and Oct. 31 would be effective Jan. 1, 2026, but because property taxes are collected in arrears the revenue impact would not be visible in taxing-jurisdiction receipts until 2027.

Patrick "Pat" Dropsy, the county auditor, told the room the county had transposed this year's credits to show what…