A bill introduced in the Ohio House of Representatives is looking to change the way property valuations are done. Historically, the state had the final say in how much your home is worth - but HB124 wants to put more power at the local level. 

Mass appraisals of properties happen every six years. Appraisers factor in things like the location, size, and condition for the home as well as the sale prices of other houses in the area. Then the state comes to a final number of what a house is worth and those figures determine property taxes. 

The bill, also called the Flip The Script Act, looks to put the power into the hands of the local leaders for that final say.

“We have boots on the ground, a more direct database on the specific properties because we’re looking at 164,000 parcels in some detail,” Ralph Meacham, the Mahoning County Auditor said. “The state can't possibly do that much detail.”

The state looks at the tax district as a whole when deciding that final value. The county takes a smaller approach going neighborhood by neighborhood and getting into the details of the house.

Sometimes neighborhoods can have outliers like one run down home surrounded by ones that are well kept or a low sale of a home that happened between two family members. If the county has control, they can know that’s not a true reflection and can throw out that valuation to make things more accurate for the rest of the neighborhood.

“County Auditors know best what sales should be used for the values to be determined with where the real estate market is moving,” Rep. David Thomas said. “More data and correct data makes the process more valid…so it makes it more of an accurate process which I think then translates into, more accuracy is ultimately better for the taxpayer.” 

If a homeowner is unhappy with the state’s final say there is an appeal process with multiple hearings but if this bill passes auditors feel the first valuation will be correct more often. 

“I think it's just to ensure the integrity of the overall assed values,” Meacham said about the bill. 

Rep. Thomas says this is one of several bills expected in this year's legislature that targets taxes and property values. Some other bills will dive into what goes into guaranteed tax rates, what check and balances there are at the county level to make sure the money is being spent correctly, deferment programs for seniors and Homestead and direct benefits, Rep Thomas explained.

“We’re going to be looking at the whole system,” Rep. Thomas said. “This in itself won’t be the silver bullet but it’s one further step in the whole process that we’re going after this year.”