Hamilton County Auditor Jessica Miranda briefs Terrace Park council on property-tax process and relief options

Hamilton County Auditor Jessica Miranda told the Village of Terrace Park Council on June 9 that her office is the county's chief financial officer, responsible for accounts payable and receivable, payroll for about 4,700 county employees, property assessment and consumer-protection services such as weights and measures.

Miranda said residents should "think of me as your chief financial officer," and walked the council through how the auditor's office differs from other county offices: the county treasurer collects taxes, the county recorder manages deeds, and the county engineer provides maps and surveys. She said the auditor's office administers valuations for more than 350,000 parcels in Hamilton County and noted that web-based property summaries show how each taxpayer's dollars are distributed.

Why it matters: Miranda emphasized that the auditor sets values, not tax rates, and that a property's tax bill depends on local levies and other taxing authorities. "If your property value goes up or down 5%, that does not necessarily mean your property tax bill will shift 5%," she said, explaining the role of levies, school funding and other local policies in determining bills.

Miranda also updated the council on timing changes: the county's triennial appraisal work is underway, and the next mass reappraisal was moved from 2029 to 2030 by the governor. She said treasurer due dates printed in the presentation (June 24 and July 17) had been pushed back by about a week because of recent state action tied to House Bills 186 and 124.

On tax-relief programs, Miranda urged residents to check the new county property-search tools and described two relief programs administered by the auditor's office: the homestead exemption (targeted at some senior homeowners) and the owner-occupancy credit (for primary-residence owners). She said the homestead exemption's benefit has lagged behind rising home values: in the presentation Miranda cited that average county home values rose about 70% between 2014 and 2024 while the exemption's benefit rose roughly 7%, and noted that in 2014 recipients received about $600 in annual relief.

Miranda also described rental registration, a state requirement for landlords to file a registration with the county auditor (no filing fee), and said the registry helps reduce fraud aimed at older residents who can be targeted by people posing as landlords. She encouraged Terrace Park to coordinate any local rental-registration efforts with the county so records remain aligned.

Miranda closed by announcing the auditor's new official social-media accounts and leaving contact information for follow-up questions. "If you think of any other questions later, please don't hesitate to give us a call," she said.

Next steps: Miranda offered to assist residents who find discrepancies on their property pages and encouraged council members to coordinate with state lawmakers on proposals to strengthen the homestead exemption and other relief measures.