Tax freeze could help Ohio seniors

Property owners in Franklin and other counties around the state are bracing for a tidal wave of increased property taxes as home values hit historic highs. Something must be done to stop the flood. There is reason for a degree of hope thanks to the bipartisan group of state lawmakers working on a life preserver for some of the most vulnerable Ohioans. Dubbed 70 under 70, House Bill 263 would freeze property taxes at the current levels for people older than 70 with household incomes less than $70,000 annually. To qualify, seniors would have to own their homes for 10 or more years. How did 70 under 70 come about? Rep. Dani Isaacsohn, D-Cincinnati, told a member of our editorial board that he and Rep. Thomas Hall, R-Madison Township, have been eager to find areas in which to partner. Both generally felt passionate about finding solutions to help seniors stay in their homes as property taxes rise, pricing homeowners out of neighborhoods in Hamilton County and elsewhere. "We put our heads together and decided to work together on this bill," Isaacsohn said. The bill has about 25 co-sponsors from both parties, including Columbus Democratic Reps. Latyna M. Humphrey, Ismail Mohamed, Dontavius Jarrells, Adam Miller, and Munira Abdullahi as well as Republican Dave Dobos. State Rep. Anita Somani, a Dublin Democrat, is also a cosponsor. What about other seniors? If the legislation were approved as is, there are several groups of seniors that would not qualify, such as those who have downsized to smaller housing in recent years. Isaacsohn expects the bill to evolve to include more seniors. He said it is an "open effort" to help seniors living on fixed incomes. There will be hearings on the bill. "Part of the reason you put a bill out there is to get feedback from people," he said. "We are committed to both listening to people's responses and improving the bill as it goes through the process." If passed, Isaacsohn said the state would fully reimburse any local governments — schools and other entities — that get money from levies the way it does under the homestead exemption. Part of a larger issue The bill speaks to our dependency on property taxes and the deeply problematic and still unconstitutional way schools are funded in Ohio. About 66% of the funds raised by property taxes go to schools, according to the Ohio Department of Taxation. The rest is split between other local government entities such as cities, libraries and park districts. The Ohio Supreme Court declared the state's method of funding public education unconstitutional on March 24, 1997, and affirmed that three more times in the ensuing years. The high court cited four major flaws in its DeRolph v. State ruling, including insufficient state funding for school facilities and a flawed school funding formula. The average home values in Franklin County increased by 41% in reappraisals this year. The same increases are being felt in counties around the state. For example, average values increased by 41% in Ashland County and 31% in Summit County, according to reporting by the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau. Owners only pay a percentage of their property's value, but as Butler County Auditor Nancy Nix has said, dramatic increases can be "catastrophic" for those on fixed incomes. Seventy under 70 would not be a complete fix, but it would be a step in the right direction to help seniors struggling to stay in their homes as taxes rise due to increased property taxes. More than that, the legislation is an example of what can happen when lawmakers come together in a bipartisan fashion to address issues that impact Ohioans. They should do that more often. Good things can happen. —The Columbus Dispatch