Timberlake Mayor John Marra
Unfair Burdens: Increased School Taxes
Without Voter Approval
Across Ohio, property owners are reeling from the consequences of the recent sexennial property valuations. These mandatory reappraisals, conducted every six years, have resulted in significant property value increases—averaging nearly 30% in many counties. While rising property values might seem like a sign of economic growth, for homeowners, these increases translate directly into higher property taxes, particularly for school funding. What’s most troubling is that these tax increases occur automatically—without voter approval.
Ohioans have always voluntarily supported school funding through levy votes, approving additional taxes to help fund our schools. When we vote for levies, we do so willingly, believing in the importance of education for our children and our communities. But what many taxpayers don’t realize is that once these levies are approved, the collection is permanently placed on our property—a system that ultimately penalizes homeowners and can cost them their homes if they cannot pay their taxes.
For people like Mary, a retired homeowner in Lake County, the latest tax hike is more than just numbers on a bill—it’s a life-altering burden. Mary saw her property value double in the latest reappraisal, and as a result, her school taxes increased by over $1,500 annually. Yet, her fixed income hasn’t changed. Now, she faces the impossible choice of paying her tax bill or affording medical care—not because she sold her home or gained any real income, but because of an algorithm-driven tax system that punishes homeowners.
Property taxes are a lien against our homes, meaning that failure to pay—due to job loss, medical emergencies, or financial hardship—can result in foreclosure by the state. Homeowners like Mary, including retirees, low-income families, and working-class residents, can lose their homes not to a bank, but to the very government that claims to serve them. This is taxation without true representation, and it must end.
The time has come to remove all school funding from property taxes and call for a
Department of Education Efficiency to ensure responsible, transparent, and efficient use of taxpayer dollars in public schools.
The Mechanics of the Tax Hike
Every six years, county auditors reassess property values, often outsourcing this process to third-party vendors that use mass appraisal algorithms. These computer-driven models assign values based on automated data and comparable sales from surrounding neighborhoods. No physical inspections are performed.
Homeowners are not taxed based on real market transactions—they’re taxed based on computer-generated estimates that fail to account for individual property conditions. If the algorithm values a property less than the countywide average increase, that homeowner may see a slight tax decrease. However, if a property’s value rises above the county average, the homeowner is hit with a dramatic tax increase—not because of any real profit, but because of how the system distributes valuation increases.
The 20-Mill Floor (2%): A Built-In Tax Hike Without Voter Approval
The 20 mill floor is a combination of the inside millage for a school district, and the outside millage that is reduced by HB 920 to a factor that when added to the inside millage adds to 20 mills, which equates to a 2% tax. The outside millage is then treated like inside millage and an automatic increase in property taxes occurs without a vote of the taxpayers as property values increase.
This provision was originally intended to protect school funding, but in practice, it allows schools to profit from rising property values without accountability. Since these valuation increases aren’t uniform, homeowners whose properties appreciate above the county average end up paying significantly more in school taxes, while those whose values increase less than average see only minor changes.
Through no fault of their own, homeowners are now paying higher school taxes based on unrealized gains dictated entirely by a computer algorithm. When homeowners cannot keep up with these tax increases, they are left with two choices:
1. Struggle to afford their homes while the government quietly collects more revenue, or
2 Lose their homes to tax foreclosure, with the state ultimately seizing private property.
This is not just an unfair system—it is a deliberate mechanism that generates increased revenue for schools without voter approval or accountability.
School Budgets Continue to Grow Despite Declining Enrollment
One of the biggest false narratives in public education is that schools are underfunded. The reality is that many Ohio school districts are seeing stagnant or declining enrollment, yet their budgets continue to expand every year.
Fewer students should logically mean lower costs, but that’s not what happens. Instead, school districts continue to demand more taxpayer money, increasing spending on administrative positions, benefits, and programs that have little to do with classroom instruction.
This unchecked growth in school budgets contradicts the claim that more money is needed. The truth is that taxpayers are being asked to pay more each year despite serving fewer students.
A Modest Sales Tax as a Replacement Funding Source
A modest statewide sales tax increase would be a fair and sustainable alternative to school funding through property taxes. A properly structured sales tax:
- Ensures that everyone pays their fair share, not just homeowners.
- Broadens the tax base by collecting revenue from tourists, businesses, and non-property
owners. - Ties school funding to actual economic activity, making it more stable and predictable. Several states have already shifted away from property tax reliance in favor of sales tax funding for education, proving that it is a workable and fair alternative.
Conclusion
The sexennial reappraisal process and the 20-mill floor (2%) work together to impose tax increases without voter approval. This undermines public trust, lacks transparency, and unfairly shifts the tax burden onto certain homeowners.
Ohioans deserve a fair and accountable tax system—one where no tax increase occurs without a public vote.
It’s time to remove all school funding from property taxes, implement a Department of Education Efficiency, and replace this broken system with a modest sales tax that ensures fairness for all taxpayers.
Let’s put an end to taxation without representation. Let’s protect Ohio homeowners before more families are taxed out of their homes.
John Marra Mayor, Village of Timberlake, Ohio
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Categories: Community Activism, Lake County - General, Uncategorized