County auditor's office explains the property tax collection process

LANCASTER − Paying property taxes is an obligation property owners must fulfill.

Property taxes pay for public schools and variety of other things. Below is some important facts to know about them from information Fairfield County Auditor Carri Brown supplied:

• Property taxes are called ad valorem taxes, or taxes based on the assessed values of property.
• Property tax rates in Ohio include inside and outside millage, of which 1 mill is equal to $1 in property tax levied per $1,000 of a property's assessed value.
• The state assigns inside millage of 10 mills which local governments divide. Outside millage are levies voters decide on. A local government requests the levy. For example, a county government may request it for senior services, social services, mental health services, parks, or protective services. A simple voter majority is needed to pass the levy.
• Property values are set every three years by order of the state tax commissioner with a full mass appraisal every six years.  A mass appraisal is a comprehensive statistical analysis based on current market values.
• Property owners may be able to reduce their tax bill through the Homestead program, an owner occupancy credit and assessment reductions for damaged or destroyed property
• The county treasurer sends tax bills and collects them twice a year. Property owners can pay in person or online.
• The county auditor has informative property tax videos at https://realestate.co.fairfield.oh.us/ that describe the property tax processes.
• The Fairfield County Auditor's office is located at 210 E. Main St. The real estate division is across the street at 108 N. High St. Both are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• The auditor's website is https://www.co.fairfield.oh.us/auditor.
• The auditor's office phone number is 740-652-7020.

jbarron@gannett.com

740-681-4340

Twitter/X: @JeffDBarron

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: County auditor's office explains the property tax collection process