County auditor outlines property-tax options, cautions state action unlikely as Kings voters weigh Issue 10

Warren County Auditor Matt Nolan told the Kings Local Board of Education on Oct. 14 that while state committees and multiple bills are addressing Ohio’s property-tax system, meaningful statewide changes affecting Kings Local are unlikely before the next legislative session. Nolan also discussed how House Bill proposals such as a version of the ‘‘floor’’ fix would mainly affect districts that are at the statutory tax floor and not Kings or Mason in the near term.

Nolan said the governor’s task force and several bills, including proposals related to HB 920 and a proposal commonly called HB 186, repeat recommendations county auditors have made for years but face political hurdles. ‘‘There’s winners and losers in every one of those,’’ Nolan said, adding that ‘‘anytime we do these things, there’s winners and losers’’ and that residential taxpayers frequently have the least organized lobbying presence.

The auditor urged local conversation about revenue diversification and regional cooperation. ‘‘Anybody counting on the state of Ohio to come in and help, I would not hold my breath,’’ Nolan said. He described options such as county-based approaches and said Warren County’s high per-capita sales tax could be a regional asset if stakeholders chose to collaborate.

Nolan also addressed the mechanics of millage and tax…