Big Changes Coming in Balancing Ross County Property Taxes

Commercial and industrial property values have not been updated since 2007 in Ross County, and that is increasingly unfair to residential and agricultural owners. Auditor Jeff Lehner was proactive in giving a conversation about that with Chamber members at the Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center last Wednesday.

Lehner said values of agricultural and residential properties were updated for the 2022 taxes. The state requires updating vales when there is a certain amount of sales, but in Ross County, there haven’t been enough since 2007 to require an update for industrial and commercial values.

In addition, Lehner pointed out that there are all sorts of tax abatements and other tax reductions or value adjustments that increasingly distort tax equity.

He said this will be a comprehensive process, that is only in the beginning stage, to make things fair and equitable. It will be a 2025 reevaluation which will be seen in 2026 tax bills, and Lehner is working with businesses, schools, and residential owners.

Ross County Auditor Jeff Lehner spoke with about 35 attendees about the 2025 reappraisal of industrial and commercial values property values.

President & CEO of the Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce Mike Throne explained that this conversation with about 35 attendees was part of the Chamber’s quarterly “Advocacy Breakfasts, ” which start with the annual “State of the Community.” The events rotate locations, and the next one will be a similar conversation, probably in September.

Learn more in their own words in the video interviews in the article on the Scioto Post.

Ross County Auditor Jeff Lehner has a website and Facebook page. The Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce has a website, Facebook page, Twitter / X, and YouTube page.

Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture for the Scioto Post and iHeart Media Southern Ohio. For stories or questions, contact Kevin Coleman or the iHeart Southern Ohio Newsroom.