DAYTON — Property tax relief is coming for thousands of seniors in Montgomery County, Ohio, after a bipartisan homestead exemption expansion passed the Ohio State House and Senate last week.
This measure provides a one-time property tax bonus to eligible homeowners.
Ohio lawmakers approved a $350 million statewide tax relief package. Many of the eligible homeowners are seniors on fixed incomes, for whom the relief is designed to address increasing financial pressures.
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Karl Keith, Montgomery County Auditor, referred to the passage of Ohio’s homestead exemption program. Keith stated that this relief is immediate and substantial for those who qualify.
“This is real relief, this is immediate relief,” Keith said.
The measure is expected to affect approximately 31,000 homeowners in Montgomery County. Keith highlighted that this state-level relief is distinct from local tax relief measures, which could potentially reduce funding for services and schools.
Keith elaborated on the financial challenges faced by seniors.
“People having to choose between buying their prescriptions or getting gas or taking care of their grandkids, I mean the cost keeps building up and piling up, and so this helps a little bit to relieve a little bit of that tax burden, because the tax burden is going up too. Everybody’s dealing with the schools; everybody else is dealing with these high costs as well,” Keith said.
The homestead exemption program has been in place in Ohio since 1970. Keith expressed his desire for the program to offer yearly relief to senior homeowners, rather than being a one-time benefit.
“You know, there’s an income restriction on this, so if I had my way, I would do away with the income restriction, so it really opens us up, which is what they did several years ago,” Keith said.
He added, “So, yeah, this is there is such a need for this in our community and among our seniors, that yeah, I would like, I want to see this go forward, and so we’ll continue to advocate for that.”
Qualifying homeowners will receive a one-time property tax credit of nearly $500. The changes will go into effect beginning in January.
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