Every six years the tax commissioner for the state requires Cuyahoga County to evaluate the property values of every home. Residents are starting to get their notices in the mail and many of them are shocked.
"I can't understand how they can do that to a person who's been in their home for 19 years," said Edgewater resident Jim Gruzosky.
Gruzosky said the county increased the value of his home by 151 percent. His house that he said needs lots of updates is now valued at just under $700,000. Before the new assessment, it was worth $275,000. And that means lots more taxes on his Edgewater home.
"It will put my bill over $20,000 a year and I'm just at that point where I'm starting to consider retiring," he said.
"My office has been inundated over the past three days with phone calls," said Councilman Matt Zone.
Councilman Zone, who represents Edgewater, is encouraging homeowners to fight back.
"People are starting to get skittish about how do I make this investment in the future and I'm really concerned that the county needs to have good factual, actual data when they do that," he said.
The folks in Edgewater say they hope fighting back will be enough
"I can't afford that," said Gruzosky. "I'd have to sell the house and move some place else."
If you think the county improperly assessed your home, follow the instructions on the bottom of your letter to protest.
