Delaware County homeowners have grown used to daunting envelopes and uneasy moments at the kitchen table when tax bills arrive. After the 2023 sexennial reappraisal pushed property values sharply higher, many residents wondered how long their budgets could keep pace with a market they did not create. On Friday, County Auditor George Kaitsa outlined in a statement from his office how recently approved state reforms will change those bills, beginning with taxes due next year.
Kaitsa said county auditors across Ohio pressed lawmakers for changes after the last reappraisal showed what he called the uncontrolled forces of the real estate market. The General Assembly responded with a package that links future increases more closely to inflation rather than raw property value jumps. The goal, he said, is to protect homeowners while keeping schools financially whole.
The most immediate effect arrives with the 2025 tax year bills payable in 2026. Homeowners in the Big Walnut, Buckeye Valley, and Delaware City school districts will receive what the state is calling an inflation tax credit on the second half of those bills. The exact amount is not yet known. Kaitsa explained that the Ohio Department of Taxation will calculate the figure and send it to his office before bills are mailed…