CLEVELAND — As Northeast Ohio property owners continue to process new appraisals and their newly adjusted property taxes, Cuyahoga County's fiscal officer is explaining how those taxes are calculated.
According to Fiscal Officer Michael Chambers, Cuyahoga County is made up of 59 municipalities and 82 taxing districts. Each district has a different tax rate approved by voters, so if you're living in an area that has voted to pass levies to allocate more taxes toward schools or other entities, you're likely paying higher property taxes.
"Really, everyone should be involved in every vote they do," Chambers explained. "If they’re not happy, you know, these are voted taxes. They need to take ownership of that."
Chambers says he understands these property taxes can be painful for some, but the county is mandated by state law to reappraise properties every six years. Until the state law is changed, the county is limited in what it can do.
According to the county, about 60% of property tax revenue goes toward schools while the rest goes to municipalities, the Metroparks, and libraries. The money does not go into road improvements like addressing potholes or cleaning streets.
Chambers says another factor at play in determining property taxes is House Bill 920, which was passed in 1976. The law is a property tax reduction factor designed to keep tax revenues stable even as property values fluctuate, that way schools and cities can rely on a stable flow of property taxes.
Under that law, some property owners are seeing their property taxes go down even as property values go up. Chambers says the county is working on rolling out a cash assistance program this fall for seniors that would provide property tax help for those 70 and older with an annual income of less than $70,000.
You can calculate your estimated property taxes here.