LUCAS COUNTY, OH (Toledo News Now) - The Lucas County Treasurer's Office has mailed the first half of 2013 tax bills. This time around, property owners will be paying more.
"A lot of people in Toledo might notice their tax bill going up $20 or $30, but a lot of people out in Monclova or Waterville are seeing $200 or $300 more per half," said Chief Deputy Treasurer Mark Austin.
Countywide, voters approved levy increases for Children Services and the Board of Developmental Disabilities, totaling 1.85 mills.
In Waterville Township, add on school and police levies for 10.25 new mills, and 8.75 additional mills in Ottawa Hills, including a new school levy.
Austin says due to action by Ohio lawmakers, the state rollback does not apply to any new property tax measures approved by voters. State lawmakers did away with the rollback applied to new levies as part of budget moves, which resulted in lowering the state income tax rates.
"They no longer get the 10 percent state rollback, where the state picks up 10 percent of the cost of that levy. In addition, if we're talking about your primary residence, you're not getting the 2.5 percent owner-occupier credit on any new or increased millage from levies," explained Austin.
Property owners can try to lower their taxes by way of the Board of Revision process, but that's not a guarantee.
"If you believe the auditor still has your value too high, the auditor has a very user-friendly system to challenge your value," said Austin.
Tax bill payments are due Jan. 31.
