T-L Photo/JENNIFER COMPSTON-STROUGH People are seated near the entrance to the Belmont County Auditor’s Office on Friday, waiting their turns to challenge their assessed property values.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Belmont County Auditor Cindi Henry understands why residents are concerned about their property tax bills, and she and her staff are ready to help them seek relief.

Henry acknowledged that some residents’ tax bills for the first half of the year are much higher than they were at the beginning of 2024. In a few cases, she said, those charges increased by 40-50% or even more. But the increase is not due to the addition of new levies or a change in the rate of taxation — instead it stems from newly determined property values.

In Ohio, county auditors must set new property values every six years. A reappraisal process is conducted in which each parcel is to be inspected and appraised for its market value. Tax bills are then based on the assessed values, which amount to 35% of the appraised values.

Rather than reassessing the entire state at one time, Ohio’s 88 counties are organized into three groups that complete the process on a rotating cycle. Henry said Belmont County was one of 20 counties to base its tax bills on newly assessed values this year.

The total assessed value of all properties in Belmont County increased from $2,410,680,850 in 2023 to $2,772,928,250 in 2024 — an overall increase of more than $362 million.

According to Henry, Belmont County hired a company formerly known as Appraisal Research of Findlay, Ohio, that has since become known as Vision Government Solutions Inc. She said the company was one of several state-approved firms county auditors could select. She noted that the reappraisal process took two years to complete at a cost of $1.2 million.

Henry pointed out that her small staff only includes one in-house appraiser, who is a local resident who was hired by the county after working on the process with Vision. She said there is no way her staff would be able to visit all 65,000-plus county residents and assess their properties in person.

Henry blamed market conditions and inaction on the part of state legislators for the sudden increase that sent shockwaves through local communities.

“When COVID hit, the housing market went through the roof,” she said. “This increase is market-driven. The appraisers look at what houses in the neighborhood sold for.”

Henry noted that of the 20 counties that most recently reassessed, Belmont County’s increase was the lowest, but she still termed it “astronomical.” She said upon initial completion of the process, Belmont County property values had risen by just under 20%; however, the state rejected that increase and insisted the county go through the process again and arrive at a larger increase, which now stands just above 20%. Some other counties in the same group saw increases of up to 35% or more.

“The problem now is the calls, the texts and the pictures on Facebook,” Henry said of residents’ angry response to their most recent property tax bills. “Some people are organizing meetings. That will do nothing to stop the bleed.”

Henry urges people who feel their property was not properly assessed to bring their tax information from this year and last year and visit her office.

“That’s my office’s job,” she said.

Henry said residents need to pay their first-half 2024 real estate tax bills by the Feb. 21 due date. That way, they will not be charged a late fee. If the payment is made and her staff determines that the property assessment was incorrect, a credit will be issued for the resident’s second-half tax bill, which will be due in July.

Property tax payments must be made to the Belmont County Treasurer’s Office.

According to Henry, if her office can’t resolve a resident’s concern about their assessment, that property owner can complete a form to appeal to the Belmont County Board of Revision. The single-page document can be filed in person, by mail or by email. It can be found at Henry’s office and on its website at belmontcountyauditor.org, or the staff will mail a form to a resident upon request.

Property owners can file a complaint with the Board of Revision through March 31 and her office then has six months to make an adjustment if the board determines that is appropriate.

Board members include Henry, county Treasurer Katherine Kelich and county Commissioner Vince Gianangeli. Henry said they will consider each complaint and render a decision. Residents do not even need to attend a hearing before the board in person; instead, Henry said such hearings can be conducted with the board members using a speaker phone.

“I don’t want people paying people to fill out a form for them,” Henry said, referring to a planned meeting where local attorneys intend to hear residents’ concerns and potentially help them contest their assessed values.

According to ohiobar.org, if a property owner is dissatisfied with the BOR’s decision, an appeal can be filed with the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals or the local county common pleas court.

Henry acknowledged that mistakes were made during the reappraisal process. For example, one resident wrote on social media that his home was listed as having five bedrooms when, in reality, it is a three-bedroom house. Henry said her staff will make adjustments for residents who can provide proof of such mistakes.

She added that many people fail to take advantage of discounts that are available to them, and she said her staff can help with that as well. She cited credits such as the Homestead exemption for certain property owners over age 65, as well as credits and discounts for veterans, people with disabilities and owners of 10 or more acres of agricultural land.

“People really do need to reach out to us,” she stressed. “… They just need to come here and we’ll take care of them.”