Property taxes to increase in Columbiana County

The amount of the tax increase isn’t known yet.

By D.A. WILKINSON

VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU

LISBON — Homeowners and farmers will pay higher property taxes under a state-mandated reappraisal, said Columbiana County Auditor Nancy Milliken.

Residential property will go up 6 percent and agricultural property will go up 15 percent. Agriculture is the county’s largest business.

Milliken said the Ohio Department of Taxation had studies showing homes should be increased by 16 percent and agricultural property should be increased by more than 40 percent.

Milliken said she recommended the state accept the lower figures, and the state agreed.

The county has a number of unsold homes, which would indicate a housing slump.

But the homes that are selling are being purchased for more than the county’s listed tax values for those properties.

“As long as the state’s sales ratio reports continue to show this trend, we will continue to be ordered [by the state] to increase our values,” she said.

Milliken and the state examined property values from 2005 through 2007. The state put more emphasis on the most recent sales in 2007 to reflect the latest market conditions.

Milliken also has “a very informal group” of people throughout the county that advise her on local sales conditions that will differ throughout the county.

She said the average increase countywide can’t be estimated because of the number of levies and issues throughout the subdivisions in the county.

Information on all properties is expected to be available on the county auditor’s Web site in about a week.

People can file an appeal over the new values of their property with the county board of revision.

wilkinson@vindy.com