County auditors tell House committee HB15 would shift tax revenue away from generation-hosting communities

Chairman Holmes and members of the Ohio House Energy Committee heard repeated warnings from county auditors and a school district treasurer that House Bill 15, as drafted, would sharply reduce local government revenues in counties that host electric generation facilities.

Paul Knipp, Lawrence County auditor, told the committee he and Chief Deputy Auditor Chris Klein came to oppose the bill on grounds that it would eliminate the public utility personal property (PUPP) tax on electric generation while increasing the assessment rate on electric transmission properties by 4 percent. "House Bill 15 in its current form . . . is far from revenue neutral. More likely it will be devastating," Knipp said, describing how Lawrence County could see a net valuation loss of roughly $30.8 million and detailing estimated annual shortfalls for fire, EMS, schools and county funds.

Knipp said the countywhich offered a 13-year abatement to attract a generating plant two decades agowould lose the bulk of that plant's $219 million PUPP valuation while transmission valuations in the county…