NILES City awaits call on pitch for tax-exempt stadium

It's the city's second attempt.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- City officials hope an amendment to a proposed statehouse bill will pave the way for tax-exempt status at Cafaro Field.
The city owns the field, located behind Eastwood Mall, and leases it to Cafaro Co. for $1 per year. It's the home field for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers' minor league baseball team.
Adrian Biviano, chief deputy at the Trumbull County auditor's office, said the city initially filed an application through the county auditor's office in October 2000 seeking tax exempt status. The county auditor's office forwarded the application to Ohio Department of Taxation's tax equalization division, which makes the determination.
In October 2001, the state denied the request. The city is appealing the decision to the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals. The city, through Atty. John Gargano, filed a new application Dec. 26 which the county auditor's office sent to the state Jan. 7.
Mayor Ralph A. Infante Jr. said the city hasn't been informed of a time frame of when to expect a decision.
Changing the law: Ron Hohman, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Taxation, said the department advised the city to file a new application.
Hohman said the initial application was denied because law allows exemptions for sports stadiums that are home field to major league sports teams.
It's the provision that affords tax exemption status to Jacobs Field and the Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland. The Scrappers are a minor league team.
An amendment to the capital reappropriations bill, whose chief sponsor is state Rep. John A. Carey Jr., a Republican of Wellston, would extend tax exemption status to stadiums where minor league teams play their home schedule.
"They filed another application at our suggestion," Hohman said.
The bill proposes to exempt from property taxes land that is part of a public recreational facility used by a minor league baseball team.
Effect: "School districts and other local governments associated with the exempted league properties will see a reduction in property tax revenues under the bill," according to an analysis of the bill on the 124th Ohio General Assembly Web site.
Although located in the city, the field is in the Howland School District.
Tom Krispinsky, Howland schools treasurer, estimated that the district would receive between $60,000 and $65,000 in annual property taxes from the Cafaro Field property.
"With a school district, you hate to see any money leave us," he said.
According to Trumbull County property records, the property has a total market value of $8.7 million. The portion of the city's application completed by the county auditor's office lists the 2001 taxable value of the property at $3.2 million.
According to the county treasurer's office, the tax bill on the property for 2000 and the first half of 2001 is about $187,905. When the city filed the application for exemption, it stayed collection of the property taxes.
dick@vindy.com