CINCINNATI — A dozen Hamilton County homeowners protested a lack of transparency about the property valuation process that led to increased property taxes Saturday afternoon.
“We’re looking for answers. Just tell us how you came at the figures,” Brenda Thomas said.
Thomas has lived in her Roselawn home for more than four decades. She’s now facing a 140% property tax increase, $150 more each month.
“People who have been here, who’ve retired on fixed incomes, we don’t have that,” she said.
Instead, she’s pushing off home improvement projects for her foundation, basement windows and driveway.
Residential property taxes increased an average of 14.8% in Hamilton County overall, according to data from the auditor’s office. Within the City of Cincinnati, taxes increased 23.3%, with higher spikes elsewhere.
Protestors Saturday saw tax increases of 68% in Westwood, 300% in Northside and 500% in Walnut Hills. They all have joined a Facebook group with more than 1,000 members.
“We’re just out here to meet each other in person, because social media, of course, only goes so far,” Sarah Wolf said.
The Hamilton County auditor’s website states the 2023 revaluation process was based on “market trends, new construction, [and] sales of similar properties in the same appraisal area/neighborhood.”
But protesters like Wolf said the group is trying to get to the methodology of the algorithm.
"Why did some people get whacked with double and triple taxes and other people, including some of our public officials get nothing? It just doesn't make any sense,” she said.
There are relief efforts potentially on the horizon at the city, county and state level. None have crossed the finish line.
“That's great that you want to give some people some relief,” Wolf said. “But that doesn't really solve the problem.”
In the meantime, it means Thomas will kick home improvement projects down the road.
“If it gets to where the people who are living in the houses can't afford the upkeep of the houses, the property start to decline, and then the whole neighborhood kind of follows suit,” she said.
The gathering began with a moment of silence for Hamilton County auditor Brigid Kelly, who died of cancer earlier this week. Her visitation and burial are set for Wednesday and Thursday.
