DeWine: Taxes are lower

Hamilton County Commissioner Pat DeWine, (pictured) elected two years ago on a pledge to lower taxes, said Friday the average 2007 property tax bill is 17 percent lower than it was in 2005.

But it’s also two cents higher than this year’s bill.

That is less than it would have been, DeWine said, had Hamilton County not had its property reappraised as required by state law.

DeWine also noted the tax bills would have been higher were it not for actions taken this year by commissioners – including reducing the special-purpose property tax to pay for health care for the poor.

Commissioners voted to put the indigent health care levy on the Nov. 7 ballot at almost $10 million per year less than the amount it already raises. The five-year levy that expires at the end of this year raised $55 million per year. The levy approved by voters in November will raise $45.6 million per year for five years.

The tax bills, to be mailed out in the next few weeks, covers only the county portion of property taxes.

While the owner of a $100,000 Hamilton County house paid $413.43 in county property taxes in 2005, that number fell to $353.86 last year. It increases to $353.88 in the bills to be mailed.

The amount of special-use property taxes now is the lowest it’s been since 1994, DeWine said.

Here is a DeWine-provided spreadsheet comparing taxes.