Trumbull County commissioners consider doubling homestead credit, agree to pursue owner-occupancy boost
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Summary
Commissioners discussed using new authority in House Bill 96 to expand local property-tax relief, debating a widened homestead exemption for seniors and a faster owner-occupancy credit increase; commissioners requested detailed fiscal estimates from the auditor and urged outreach to state legislators.
Trumbull County commissioners spent the bulk of their Jan. 28 workshop discussing local property-tax relief after state lawmakers gave counties new options in the recent budget bill. Commissioners considered two main options: doubling the state homestead exemption for qualifying seniors and veterans, and increasing the local owner-occupancy credit from 2.5% to 5%.
A commissioner who introduced the topic said many constituents are struggling with higher tax bills after a recent property revaluation and urged the board to explore county action now. "By doubling [the homestead exemption], we can double that amount that the seniors would save," the commissioner said. Another commissioner pushed for an owner-occupancy credit change as a faster, broader measure that would benefit all homeowners.
Why it matters: House Bill 96 allows counties to adopt additional local property-tax credits; commissioners said some neighboring counties — including Lake and Lorain — have already implemented similar measures and provided templates. Supporters argued the owner-occupancy change could be implemented sooner and be less costly than expanding the homestead exemption, while opponents and cautious members asked for data on impacts to school districts and townships.
What commissioners decided: The board agreed to ask the county auditor for detailed fiscal estimates in the coming weeks — including how a 2.5 percentage-point increase to the owner-occupancy credit or a doubled homestead exemption would affect county revenue and distributions to schools and townships. One commissioner said he had preliminary figures showing the owner-occupancy change might cost about $2.4 million, while homestead expansion could cost roughly $10 million; he asked the auditor to confirm those numbers.
Next steps and outreach: Commissioners asked the prosecutor's office to draft proper resolution language for the owner-occupancy change and recommended sending a letter to state representatives asking for more local sales-tax allocation. Several commissioners said they would prefer to begin with the owner-occupancy credit while continuing study of the homestead option and coordinating with township and school officials to mitigate fiscal impacts.
The workshop closed without a formal vote on any tax change; the board directed staff to return with auditor estimates and legal language for possible action at a future meeting.
