County Administrator Jeff Aludo told the Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners on Nov. 20 that the administration recommends a $5,000,000 property tax rebate (PTR) for 2026.

Aludo said the county's half‑cent sales tax produces roughly $100 million annually and funds debt service, operations and capital for riverfront obligations, including stadium projects and pilot payments to Cincinnati Public Schools. The PTR program returns up to 30% of that fund's revenues to homeowners as property tax relief; Aludo cautioned that "this is not a credit of 30% on people's property tax bills." He said the county paid a full 30% PTR in 2025, smaller percentages in prior years, and recommended $5 million for 2026 because the sales tax reserve has fallen to about 47% of the target (commissioners cited an 85% target) and the county is issuing short‑term notes for a large stadium renovation that will be converted to long‑term debt.

Aludo said the $5 million equates to roughly 4.5% of the sales tax fund at current revenue levels and that the auditor's office would like a board vote by Dec. 2. Commissioners asked for clearer, formulaic guidance to tie PTR amounts to a reserve target and discussed the tradeoff between immediate tax relief and protecting the fund's ability to meet debt and capital needs in coming years. Administration and the budget office offered to provide additional information before the Dec. 2 vote.

No formal PTR vote occurred at the Nov. 20 meeting; the board scheduled further consideration and Q&A before the auditor's requested deadline.