Can taxes be lowered?

SANDUSKY — Erie County commissioners voted Thursday to create a seven-member board with the goal of finding ways to reduce the tax burden on residents. The Blue Ribbon Commission, as its being called, will be comprised of current and former local government officials, school administrators and members of the area business community. Blue Ribbon commissions are usually comprised of respected experts in their fields tasked with analyzing and studying a given question. "We believe there are a variety of ways to make government more efficient and effective at providing services to our residents," said commissioner Pat Shenigo, who serves alongside fellow commissioners Matt Old and Steve Shoffner. "The goal is for this commission to study the county, municipalities, townships, villages, schools and other taxing entities to see what duplication exists and how to serve our residents best." Added Old: "This is an opportunity to study how Erie County entities can work smarter to serve our constituents. Our goal is to see the same or better service to residents at a lower tax burden. We are confident that this committee has the experience and approach to find significant ways to help taxpayers." Specifically, those serving on the board will be: • Sandusky city commissioner Jeff Krabill, who will serve as the board's co-chair; Krabill also previously served on the Sandusky school board. • Oxford Township trustee and township association president Mike Parker, who will co-chair the board with Krabill • Former Perkins Township fiscal officer and Perkins Schools treasurer Lisa Crescimano, who additionally serves on Erie County's board of elections • Former Sandusky Schools superintendent Tom Tucker • Former Erie County Job and Family Services executive director Karen Balconi Ghezzi • Businessman and Firelands Health board member Tom Forster • Erie County Veterans Service commissioner Kelly Moon; Moon also previously served as Berlin Heights' mayor. Setting the groundwork The board's mission, according to a news release, is to "identify ways to streamline public services provided by various taxing entities throughout Erie County." How exactly that will be accomplished is the board's primary objective. But according to co-chairs Krabill and Parker: • The board will not seek to eliminate any public services. "The proposals made by the committee will seek to increase functionality, eradicate duplication, encourage innovation and build more cooperation among entities in the county," the release states. • The board's proposals to county taxing entities will be non-binding. "They are strictly recommendations that will be made for entities to consider," the release states. • The board's efforts will be extensive and include feedback from local governments and citizens alike. "The commission will take months accumulating information, holding public hearings, seeking public feedback and seeking consensus among the commission before generating a final report. The final report will likely be made available before the end of 2025," the release states. Added Krabill: "This process will be open, and we are seeking as much cooperation from the community as possible. We want as much feedback from residents who rely on government services and pay taxes. We want feedback from current and former local government leaders who know how to make government function better." Helping local taxpayers The commission's vote to create the Blue Ribbon Commission comes on the heels of another substantial effort to give Erie County taxpayers a break. In September, the commissioners voted to forgo collecting its entire share of property taxes in 2025, a total of about $8.5 million. The measure was approved by the county budget commission: county treasurer Caleb Stidham, county auditor Rick Jeffrey and county Prosecutor Kevin Baxter. It, like many other local government agencies, was due to receive a windfall of additional un-voted-for property tax money from county residents as a result of recent increases in property values. The county couldn't stop the property revaluations and anticipated tax increases — something mandated by the state — but endeavored to soften the blow on local taxpayers by choosing to not collect any property tax for a year. It's something they encourage other local taxing entities, such as school boards and municipal governments, to replicate with their constituents. "This is not a process meant to single anyone out or point fingers," Old said. "There is an acknowledgment up front that all governments contain inefficiency, and we can all do better. So why not commit together in this process to find ways to reduce that inefficiency? We are all elected to serve the citizens and taxpayers through all of Erie County."