NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) - Real estate values are up in the county auditor’s triennial appraisal report, which means more property tax revenue for local school districts. 

Tuscarawas County Auditor Larry Lindberg says all school districts in the county stand to gain, from $1-million a year for New Philadelphia schools to $4,200 for Fairless.

“In the case of the Dover district, I’m projecting right now they’re gonna see $800,000-plus just from the reappraisal. New Philadelphia is looking just a little higher than that. Of course, they’re the two largest districts and where the most value is,” he says.

Lindberg says the Ohio Department of Taxation this year ordered Tuscarawas County residential property values to be increased by 14 percent total, and agricultural properties by 15 percent. He says the county auditor’s department then looked at neighborhood home sales and other factors to line up property values with true market values.

“Everybody is not gonna get a 14-percent increase on a residential. Some are gonna be more. Some are gonna be less. That’s where we’re looking at the sales within each neighborhood, coming up with a way of what taxation refers to as equalization to bring the values of the home from the ‘16 reappraisal to what market values are indicated,” he says.

Lindburg says property owners can challenge their valuation by filing a complaint with the county board of revisions from January through March. Meanwhile, the Dover School Board is meeting tonight to discuss the additional revenue as it relates to the district’s operating levy on the November ballot.

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