LUCAS COUNTY, Ohio — The auditor's office announced Friday that residential property values in Lucas County will be increasing by 29%.
The Ohio Tax Commission tentatively approved the new property values of property owners in the county. Lucas County Auditor Katie Moline has mailed "Notice of Value Change" letters to each property owner. Property values can also be viewed on the Auditor's Real Estate Information System at this link.
The Lucas County auditor's office said property taxes will not increase nearly as much as values, citing a 1972 law.
“The revaluation process is not designed to either increase or decrease your property taxes,” Moline said. “House Bill 920 keeps your property taxes from increasing dollar for dollar with the property value updates. Large swings in property taxes occur only when new levies or replacement levies are passed by the vote of citizens.”
The auditor's office said as property values increase, property tax rates decrease.
“I am committed to making sure this process is transparent and fair to all Lucas County property owners,” Auditor Katie Moline said. “Sending out property value notices is not required, but I want to share as much information with residents as possible.”
The auditor's office said the state mandates them to update property values on an individual basis every six years "based on the fair-market value of the property and recent sales in one's neighborhood." During this process, the county auditor does not set or control property taxes.
“Current housing shortages and skyrocketing property sales have contributed significantly to the increases in recent property values, both locally and nationally,” Moline said. “My job as auditor is to assess a fair and equitable value of one’s home that properly reflects the market. My job is not to set taxes – voters decide this when they go to the ballot box.”
According to the auditor's office, the increase in property values is in line with other counties going through the Property Revaluation process, such as Cuyahoga County's 32% increase or Ottawa County's 33% increase.
The auditor's office said property owners who believe their new value is not accurate can file an informal property value review at this link. You can also contact the Lucas County Auditor's Office at 419-213-4406 or reval2024@co.lucas.oh.us.
“The Auditor’s Office stands ready to help people and answer any questions throughout this process,” Moline said. “A home is the largest investment most people make in their lives. We want to ensure that we are valuing it accurately and fairly.”
