BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — Election Day is fewer than 50 days away and voters will cast ballots on funding for local schools, libraries and more.
But do you know how to figure out what those new taxes that come from levies will really cost you?
Wood County has updated its levy estimator for this year, said county auditor Matthew Oestreich.
"We brought this into the fold in 2021 to provide voters with parcel-specific information about upcoming levies that they're going to see on the ballot," he said.
Oestreich explains the user puts in their name or address and gets the information on levies for their property. It's not just cost, either, as the estimator shows where the money goes.
"It'll show all the levies that you have to vote on and then the impact to you, should they pass or fail," he said.
There are about 26 different levies in different parts of Wood County this year. Oestreich says it helps to have all the information in one place.
"I always say, an informed voter is the best voter. So, we're trying to inform voters what the financial impact would be," he said. "Either way, if you're supporting the levy or not in support of the levy, it doesn't matter. You need to know what you're voting on."
Since the estimator has been published, Oestreich says the response has been positive and he believes other counties and even states could benefit from something similar.
"As long as their system is similar to ours where the voters decide the local millage, I would think it would be a good thing," he said.
You can access the estimator through the Wood County Auditor's website by clicking here.