County auditor warns Lebanon homeowners of steep tax increases after reappraisal

Warren County Auditor Matt Nolan told the Lebanon Board of Education on Oct. 21 that a recent countywide reappraisal will sharply increase property valuations and, for many homeowners, raise property-tax bills.

"Everyone in this room is going to see the largest property tax increase that they've ever seen," Nolan said, summarizing why values rose and how the levy 'floor' interacts with state law. He said the countywide average increase was about 27.2% and that Lebanon households are likely to see an estimated $220 more per $100,000 in assessed value. Nolan estimated roughly $6 million in new property-tax revenue would flow to the Lebanon schools as a result of hitting the local "20-mil floor."

Nolan explained the mechanics behind the figures: the auditor's office updates values every three years using comparable sales, then applies statutory rules to calculate tax rates. "We value a 110,000 parcels," he said, explaining appraisals rely heavily on sales and that errors are possible; he encouraged residents who disagree with their new appraisals to schedule an appointment with the appraisal team. Nolan also noted commercial property values rose less than residential on average, and that some pipeline and energy properties have special valuation treatment that affects collections.

The auditor cautioned that the apparent windfall to school districts is complicated by Ohio's school funding formula. "When you get more value locally, the state's gonna fund you less," Nolan said, adding that a portion of the newly collected local revenue could be offset by reduced state aid in later years and that the size of that offset is unclear.

Nolan urged residents to use a rate calculator posted by the auditor's office and to pursue appeals where values look incorrect. He also recommended policymakers consider policy changes such as expanding eligibility for homestead relief for seniors or exploring alternative tax options to mitigate the burden on fixed-income residents.

The presentation concluded with board members asking for more detail on net impact numbers and the auditor offering to provide supporting slides and data to help the district's budget planning. The auditor warned that final tax figures would not be known until the state returns the certified rates in January.