February 25, 2000
Appeals by owners expected
By Erik Burriss
Staff Writer
County officials expect to have a greater number of appeals this year to the Board of Revision, due to Seneca County's recent property revaluation, which increased real estate taxes for many county residents
Seneca County property owners have until March 31 to submit property value appeals.
"(Residential) valuation levels are monitored through the use of sales," Seneca County Auditor Larry Beidelschies said. "It is based on the value the property would bring if it were sold on the open market."
Beidelschies said the value of nearby properties, lot size, number of bathrooms, square footage, number of floors and type of home can all affect a property's valuation.
The process used to determine residential valuations is set by state law, the auditor said.
"It's all in the Ohio Revised Code," he said.
Beidelschies said residential properties increased by about 30 percent across the county. He cited more people buying properties and paying more for the properties they buy.
Agricultural land values are based on the soil type and slope and are set by the state. The soil types that make up the majority of the county's farms vary in value from $430 to $740 an acre, extension agent Clark Hutson said.
Real estate is taxed at 35 percent of its valuation. The valuation is multiplied by the taxing district's millages &emdash; inside millages which were set decades ago and outside millages which are passed by the voters.
The board generally only changes valuations when the county's records are incorrect &emdash; such as having the wrong number of bathrooms listed.
"We really like to have documentation," Beidelschies, who along with the president of the board of commissioners and county treasurer, said.