Wayne auditor releases info on upcoming levies

According to Wayne County auditor Russell Robertson, Wayne County taxpayers will see several levies on the ballot for the Nov. 5 general election. Robertson’s goal is to make sure voters have access to resources that will help them make informed decisions on Election Day.

The auditor’s office has published information on its website, allowing taxpayers to see the impact a proposed levy will have on their actual property tax.

How do levies get on the ballot?

The Ohio Revised Code outlines the political subdivisions that are permitted to levy taxes and for what purposes they may levy. There are several steps that must be followed to get approval for each levy to get on the ballot.

When a permitted political subdivision determines it necessary to levy outside of the 10-mill limitation, they must certify a resolution or ordinance — often referred to as a Resolution of Necessity — to the county auditor requesting the auditor certify the following:

—The total tax valuation of the subdivision.

—The number of mills for each $1 of taxable value that is required to generate a specified amount of revenue or the levy’s rate expressed in dollars for each $100,000 of county auditor’s appraised value.

—The estimated total dollar amount of revenue that would be generated by a specified number of mills for each $1 of taxable value.

After receiving a request, the county auditor has 10 days to certify the information back to the subdivision. After receiving the auditor’s certification, the entity must adopt a resolution or ordinance stating the information from the auditor’s certification and that the taxing authority will proceed to place the levy onto the ballot for consideration by the voters. This is often referred to as the Resolution to Proceed.

Certified copies of the Resolution of Necessity, the auditor’s certification and the Resolution to Proceed are then provided to the Wayne County Board of Elections.

How will tax bills change?

To see the impact levies could have on your property and their estimated cost to you, Robertson urged taxpayers to visit www.waynecountyauditor.org.

Use the search function to navigate to your property. The Levies section at the top of your parcel page will show the proposed levies for your property, the previous cost if it is an existing levy and the estimated updated cost if the levy is approved by the voters.

For more information or for help navigating the auditor’s website, call the Wayne County Auditor’s Office at 330-287-5430.

MacKenzie Taylor is the information officer for the Wayne County Auditor's Office.