Medina County commissioners adopt permissive local homestead exemption for temporary property tax relief

MEDINA — The Board of Medina County commissioners adopted a permissive local homestead exemption during its meeting Tuesday to provide qualifying Medina County residents temporary property tax relief. House Bill 96 allows county commissioners to adopt a permissive local homestead exemption, which is also called a piggyback homestead program. Previously, only the state could implement a homestead exemption, which reduces property taxes for qualifying seniors, disabled people, disabled veterans and the spouses of first responders who were killed in the line of duty. The homestead exemption shields part of a home's market value from taxation, and the piggyback allows counties to double the state's homestead exemption for those who qualify. Commissioner Steve Hambley said an estimated 11,820 Medina County residents would see a $1,000 benefit and more than 400 disabled veterans would receive a $2,000 benefit from the piggyback. "We don't want to see our lower-income seniors and disabled veterans have to make choices between how much they're going to eat and which medicines they should take," Commissioner Colleen Swedyk said. "It is significant money for the income levels of people that it will directly benefit." Hambley said the homestead exemption is not a "gimmick" but a "significant help" to those who are most affected by property tax increases. "The relief is going to the most financially vulnerable members of our community," Harrison said. "I think we have an obligation to do it, so I'm pleased that we are able to offer this solution. I'm also under no illusion that it is permanent or going to resolve everything going forward, but I think it's a first step in the right direction." Some public entities have expressed concerns about a loss of funding because of the piggyback, Hambley said. For instance, the commissioners have heard from communities with fire districts that would be affected. "I also note that just as much as their fire district would be impacted, they actually have a sufficient balance from inside millage to cover that," he said. "If they have a real concern that it's going to impact their ability for their fire district to meet the needs of the community next year, they have enough cash to be able to balance that out." Other public entities are under the county's taxing authority, like the Medina County Home, Hambley said. "What we'll be doing is looking at the budget and seeing indeed if this impact is something that impedes the ability to provide those services," he said. "We legitimately can take a look and say, 'Okay, can we help provide the funding next budget to offset those losses?' In which case, I think that's reasonable." The Medina County Auditor's Office will send out mail to those that are under the home exemption to inform them of the requirements to qualify for the local exemption, Hambley said. "The local entities that feel it will impact their budget, we can't stress enough that this is just for next year, until we see some of the final decisions that the state decides to make (regarding tax reform)," Swedyk said. Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.