TOLEDO, Ohio — Following the property revaluation errors in Lucas County, state Rep. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.) called for an investigation by State Auditor Keith Faber into former Lucas County Auditor and current county commissioner Anita Lopez. Williams alleges that Lopez “intentionally [undervalued] properties.”
Now, the state auditor’s office said it has received the necessary documents to begin the review process into Williams’ claims against Lopez. The review will dictate potential next steps, if any, the state may take in investigating her.
So, what’s next? Here’s a breakdown of what merits an investigation from the auditor and what the process looks like.
What merits an investigation from the Ohio State Auditor?
The Ohio Auditor’s Special Investigations Unit investigates fraud allegations that deal with public funds or noncompliance within the government. Williams believes that Lopez, during her time as county auditor, undervalued properties across Lucas County, which inflated the tax values of 1,441 properties in 2024…