Renewal notices mailed to Mahoning County ag property owners

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Mahoning County auditor has mailed annual renewal notices to about 2,000 agricultural property owners who have been approved for the Current Agricultural Usage Valuation tax program.

The notices verify the county’s about 3,900 enrolled parcels still are being used for agricultural purposes and must be returned to the auditor’s office by March 3, according to a release from Auditor Ralph Meacham. The CAUV program “normally results in a substantially lower tax bill for working farmers,” the release states.

Last year, county Soil and Water Conservation District workers began visually inspecting CAUV-enrolled parcels to determine if they still qualify for the tax program. The office collected about $116,000 in underpaid taxes on unqualified properties, compared with about $29,000 the previous year, according to the release.

“The goal of the inspections is to preserve the tax savings for the benefit of those taxpayers who meet the qualifications while at the same time, remove the savings from those who no longer meet the requirements but have failed to notify this office,” Meacham said.

The office will soon send renewal forms for the Agricultural District program, which are sent every five years.

For information on the CAUV or Agricultural District programs, contact the auditor’s office at 330-740-2010.