How to entice a Loveland property tax payer, by cooking a lobster

by Walter D. Golladay

Thursday evening, the 12th, our Loveland School Superintendent and Treasurer hosted a “…community meeting about Loveland Schools’ November 5 ballot issue. The meeting will include a presentation and the opportunity for the audience to ask questions.”

During the meeting, a resident asked the following question: “How much more in property taxes will I have to pay if the 2019 tax levy is passed?” Our school treasurer responded with a lengthy meandering non-answer.

The short answer is, visit your respective county auditor at:

Hamilton County: https://wedge.hcauditor.org/

Clermont County: https://www.clermontauditor.org/_DNN/

Warren County: https://www.wcauditor.org/

On each county website, search for your specific property. The quickest way is to search by the property owner. Enter your name, and accurate property information will appear.

On your respective homeowner’s page, your 2018 property taxes will show what you paid. On your respective individual 2019 upcoming tax levy page, it will show what you will pay if the school district property tax levy is passed. One-half of the upcoming taxes will be due January 2020!

Earlier this week, the “Loveland School Board authorizes a phase-in bond portion of levy over three years if Nov. 5 issue passes.” In so doing, Loveland property owners would benefit from a 3 year phase-in of the bond portion of the levy resulting in lower property tax levies of $20 per month for each $100,000 in the tax year 2019, and $35 per month in the tax year 2020, and the full levy charge of $49 per month would take effect in the tax year 2021.

If the newly proposed school district tax levy 2-year diet is accepted by the Hamilton County Auditor, then for tax year 2019, a first-year diet of $20 per month translates into an additional $240 per annum; for the tax year 2020, the second year diet of $35 per month translates into $420 per annum; and in the tax year 2021 your diet terminates with $49 per month for $588 per annum, continuing indefinitely.

As of yesterday, “Friday the 13th”, all 3 county websites report property taxes due and payable in the tax year 2019, of the full – no-diet – $588 per annum.

The school district 2-year diet reminds me of the old parable: throw a lobster in boiling hot water to cook, it will jump out; throw a lobster in cold water, then add heat, it will happily swim around until its cooked. Which lobster are you?