COLUMBUS — A new bill is at the state House which would lower property taxes for property owners.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
As reported on News Center 7 at 6, some residents would like the relief on their wallets, but a Montgomery County leader says this could hurt schools, jobs and public services.
TRENDING STORIES:
- $10M long-term study to look into health effects of East Palestine train derailment
- City extends temporary ban on some businesses
- Retired detective found dead in hoarding conditions, months after she went missing
“If they can relieve it, that’s great with me,” Lester Bergman, a homeowner, said.
Bergman says he is in favor of paying less in property taxes, and says he had to pay more for his home.
“They say your house went up, but I haven’t really done nothing to it yet. So how can you increase it the same as everybody else,” Bergman said.
Bergman says the increase affects his wallet, especially with rising prices on everything else.
“If you’re making house payments and everything else, that can hit you pretty good,” Bergman said.
Montgomery County Auditor Karl Keith says this bill, if passed, could take money away from the county.
“You’re talking about $1 billion the county collects on a regular basis, just a little more than $1 billion in local real estate taxes,” Keith said.
The county uses that money to fund things people use every day.
“Sixty percent of every tax dollar collected here in Montgomery County goes to support public schools,” Keith said.
Another big chunk of that money goes to human services and first responders, according to Keith.
“We had to come up with a way of replacing $1 billion or cut those services. Which means when you start cutting services, you’re talking about cutting people, you’re talking about cutting jobs,” Keith said.
Bergman thinks the county can find a way to make that money back.
“It might cost a little bit more to get license plates for your vehicle, or you know, they’ll find a way to recoup,” Bergman said.
The bill is currently in the House, and has a long way to go before making it to the governor’s desk.
Keith says, if it passes, one way to make that money back would be an increase in sales tax.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
