School leaders and county residents urge commissioners to reject proposed homestead/owner-occupied credit expansion

Hundreds of residents and education officials pressed the Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners on Oct. 30 to oppose a proposed local expansion of homestead and owner-occupied property tax credits that several speakers said would sharply cut school revenue.

School officials described specific budget impacts and staffing consequences if the county adopts the piggyback measure. "I'm here before you today to provide testimony and strong opposition of this property tax relief measure under consideration," said Jason Simmons, an elected member of the Forest Hills School Board. Simmons said Forest Hills would lose about $1,700,000 under the proposal and that a cut of that size "means cutting 15 to 20 teachers."

Norwood Board of Education President Brandon Atwood said the county proposal would reduce Norwood revenue by roughly $400,000 and, he testified, would eliminate more than $23,000,000 in revenue for public education across Hamilton County. Daniel Hoing, general counsel for Cincinnati Public Schools, told the board that CPS "would lose $7,500,000" and that the loss was not something the…