Ohio & Mahoning Valley - A new proposal at the Ohio Statehouse could give counties more power to lower or suspend local property taxes after voters pass them.

House Bill 309, introduced by State Rep. David Thomas (R-Jefferson), would allow county budget commissions to review the budgets of taxing authorities and determine whether the tax revenue is still needed.

If not, the county budget commission could reduce or pause the levies. Supporters of the bill say it's about protecting taxpayers from unnecessary tax burdens.

One key provision would trigger a public hearing if a school district's savings exceed 30 percent of the previous year's expenses.

Critics argue that the threshold number doesn't reflect the real budgeting needs of schools and other local services.

Weathersfield Local Schools Superintendent Damon Dohar said that carryover funds are crucial for planning ahead and said if this passes, it would make budgeting a bigger challenge.

"It makes it very difficult to be honest with you," he said, "We have certain expenses that pop up all the time."

Libraries could also be affected, which rely heavily on state and local funding to provide services. 

Aimee Fifarek, Director and CEO of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, said tax revenue is essential to their operations.

"It puts books on the shelves and allows us to do great programming, so it is what makes this library run," she said, "Without those tax dollars, we can't do what we ordinarily do every day."

Mahoning County Auditor Ralph Meacham believes the bill could be beneficial if implemented thoughtfully, but warns a strict 30 percent cap doesn't fit all entities.

"School districts might have a bond levy, which they would have to have reserves of at least 25 or 30 percent," he said, "That wouldn't suit everyone. 30 percent would not be enough. Let's say you're a fire district and you anticipate buying a major piece of equipment in the next year or two, so you're building your reserves to do that. So there has to be some leeway in there and some judgment."

HB 309 is currently under review, and local leaders have stated that they are continuing to review the bill's details.