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Can Average Citizens Save Our Seniors From Being Taxes Out of Their Homes?

By Contributing Writer on June 19, 2024 • ( 0 )

June 19, 2024

By Brian Massie, A Watchman on the Wall

We are very concerned that the estimated 30% increase in property values in 2024, to be collected in 2025, will cause many Lake County residents to exceed their Housing Affordability Threshold. The ever-increasing property taxes are pricing seniors, and those living on fixed incomes out of their home that they have worked all their lives to achieve.

Section 5705.27 of the Ohio Revised Code authorizes the formation of the Budget Commission, and names the elected officials that are to be members of the Commission. Here are the members of the current Lake County Budget Commission.

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One important role of the Budget Commission is to be the financial watchdog for the citizens to guard against excessive collection of property taxes by the myriad of taxing authorities in the County.

Lake County Auditor Chris Galloway asked Lobbyists for Citizens to start a citizens’ initiative to add two, non-partisan, citizens to the Budget Commission as authorized by R.C. 5705.27. Auditor Galloway agrees with us that the Budget Commission has become merely a “rubber stamp” for the taxing authorities that are required to submit their yearly tax budget to justify the continued collection of the authorized property taxes.

The “rubber stamp” mentality of the current Budget Commission, supported by the County Prosecutor, has allowed the taxing authorities to amass millions in surplus cash reserves. For example, Deepwood has $65 million, Lake Metroparks has $30 million, the Crime Lab has $7 million and ADAMHS Board has $5 million.

Here is the petition that we will be circulating in Lake County asking registered Lake County voters to sign.

Per the Lake County Board of Elections, we need 2,836 (3% of 94,527) valid signatures, and the petitions must be submitted no later than August 7th at 4:00 pm. All registered voters are eligible to sign the petitions. It is not a partisan issue.

This ballot initiative will allow 2 citizens to be added to the Commission, and then we will have to wait until 2025 to vote for the 2 candidates to be added to the Commission. We know that this is a very slow process, but it is the best that we can do. Lake County will be the first county in the State of Ohio to add two members to the Budget Commission.