Schools, townships and social-service providers urge commissioners to reject county "piggyback" homestead expansion

Hamilton County commissioners heard more than a dozen public-comment speakers on Oct. 23 urging them not to adopt a proposed county “piggyback” expansion of the state homestead exemption and owner-occupied property tax credit unless the state reimburses lost local revenue.

Speakers — including treasurers and superintendents from Cincinnati Public Schools, Forest Hills, Oak Hills, Sycamore, Loveland and other districts; township administrators and trustees; the county auditor; and the head of the county’s mental-health board — said the proposal would shift millions of dollars from school classrooms, emergency services and behavioral‑health programs to provide modest tax relief for homeowners.

The board did not take formal action on the measure during the meeting; commissioners said they were listening to the concerns and would continue to track related state legislation.

Why it matters: The expansion being discussed would allow the county to “piggyback” an additional homestead/owner‑occupied credit onto a state change. Several speakers said the county has no mechanism to be reimbursed for those lost tax dollars, and they warned that local governments and school districts would have to cut services or return to voters for new levies.

Many of the districts presented estimated annual revenue losses to the board. John Espy, chief financial officer of Loveland City School District, told commissioners the change would be “a financial loss of over $527,000 annually,” and said: “The conversation cannot be seniors versus students.” Amy Wells, chief financial officer and treasurer of…