Wednesday, September 22, 2004
A committee will advise the auditor on proposed tax values.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- Columbiana County Auditor Nancy Milliken said the state is reducing proposed increases in county real estate values.
The Ohio Department of Taxation has dropped its overall requested increase from 3 percent to 0.8 percent of her initial numbers.
Milliken said Tuesday, however, that the percentage is a reflection of the proposed total increase. There is no straight percentage increase for all the properties in the county.
The county is ending its required six-year reappraisal of all property values. Each property is reappraised. Land classified as residential, commercial, industrial or agricultural may have differing values and differing increases in the county's 55 taxing districts.
The current taxable value of all county real estate is $3.6 billion, which is 35 percent of the total value. The state wanted to raise the taxable value to $4 billion.
After talks with the state and more calculations, Milliken said the state agreed to lower its figures.
Milliken said there are several reasons the numbers are falling.
Her office calculated valuations at 90 percent of market value. The state used 100 percent of the value. But in the appraisal world, experts agree that either number could be accurate.
How decision was reached
The state initially focused on actual sale prices, which is the legal standard for appraisals. Milliken said that the state has changed its focus from only sales in 2003, when sales were brisk, to all sales in 2001-03, as required by law.
Another reason for the decline was that Milliken took another look at whether some sales, such as sale of a home from a father to a son, reflected fair market values.
She also pointed out to state tax officials the area's sluggish economy and the county's recent heavy flood damage.
The auditor said she plans next week to convene her tax advisory committee, an ad hoc group of citizens and officials, to discuss and review the new lower figures.
Milliken said that if the committee feels the numbers are realistic, she may agree to them. If not, she said she would seek a formal meeting with tax officials in Columbus to further challenge the state numbers.
wilkinson@vindy.com