CLEVELAND — After a summer where many property owners learned their taxes would rise beginning in 2024 thanks to state-required reappraisals, those same property owners are slated to vote on whether or not to increase their taxes again.
Across Northeast Ohio, school districts and other entities with ballot measures will face an uphill battle asking voters for funding for a variety of projects following reappraisals.
Outside his home in Cleveland’s West Park, Charles Barrett is still in disbelief that his home just reappraised for 41% higher than its current value.
When it's all done and finalized, he expects to pay an extra $500 each year in property taxes.
"It was a bit of a shock," he said. "It’s a bit more than anyone can swallow financially."
Barrett told News 5 he was unable to challenge his valuation because of how in-demand appraisers were after letters were mailed out.
As a result, Barrett admits that his reappraisal will likely impact how he votes on a variety of issues in this upcoming election, including a ballot measure from Cleveland Metropolitan School District.
"It was very bad timing on the part of the school district to ask for an increase," Barrett said. "The financial burden on our residents is too much, at least right now. It happened all at one time."
In his case, Barrett could see almost $600 a year more going to the school district if the levy passes, on top of the reappraised $500 bump he’s already facing from his reappraisal.
And it’s not just Cleveland residents facing seemingly double the tax implications.
Several school districts across Northeast Ohio face their own levies and bond issues inside the seven counties just completed state required property reappraisals, with homeowners seeing their property value increase on average around 30 percent.
The following school districts currently face new ballot measures or renewals in counties that just completed property reappraisals:
Cuyahoga County - (32.17% average property valuation increase): Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Garfield Heights City School District, Mayfield City School District, Richmond Heights Local Schools, Strongsville City Schools, Warrensville Heights City Schools*
Erie County - (28.92% average property valuation increase): Margaretta Local School District, Firelands Local Schools, EHOVE Joint Vocational School District*,Bellevue City School District*
Huron County - (27.51% average property valuation increase): Seneca East Local School District, Norwalk City School District, Bellevue City School District*
Lake County - (28.97% average property valuation increase): Lake County School Financing District (Madison, Painesville City, Perry, and Riverside)
Lorain County - (31.13% average property valuation increase): Avon Local Schools, Avon Lake City Schools, Columbia Local Schools, Lorain City Schools, Strongsville City Schools*
Portage County - (32.85% average property valuation increase): Aurora City School District, Ravenna School District, Stow-Munroe Falls City Schools*, Streetsboro City Schools, Tallmadge City School District*, Mogadore Local School District*, Springfield Local School District*
Stark County - (33.84% average property valuation increase): Fairless Local School District, Marlington Local Schools
* Some districts overlap into multiple counties and may have a majority of their students in a county that did not complete its property reappraisals in 2024.
Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Dr. Warren Morgan argues it’s better to vote for their levy now rather than later— since the levy burden would be less given it is using 2023 home values.
"The resources are needed to continue this work," Morgan said. "If we were to wait and do the levy later, then it would be on the new reappraisal rates and would be even higher."
Other districts are looking at ways to shrink the burden.
At Richmond Heights Local Schools, they face the same uphill battle for funding for a new elementary school.
But after their 14.77 mill increase levy failed this past spring, the district devised a new idea: lessening the levy for those on a fixed income.
That means only asking for a 3.24 mill property tax increase, paired with a 1.25 percent earned income tax increase.
Superintendent at Richmond Heights Local Schools, Dr. Marnisha Brown, told News 5 she is worried about how voters will perceive the ballot measure following reappraisals but believes the issue is paramount.
"The facility in itself is dilapidating," said Brown. "In order for us to realize what this city has to offer, we have to be on one accord, one page. If we don’t invest in our schools, we're not investing in our city."
Oberlin City Schools pulls ballot measure for new middle school — but not for the reason you think.
Inside the library of the 100-year-old Langston Middle School, Oberlin City Schools Superintendent Dr. David Hall can crack a joke about the aging building.
"I think schools have changed over 100 years— just a little bit," he chuckled.
Dr. Hall and the district were ready to spearhead a ballot measure for voters this fall to help fund a new middle school.
But when the school district calculated how much more it would receive from property reappraisals done in Lorain County, leaders realized that number was high enough that the district pulled its planned bond issue from the ballot.
"It was smiles all around when we realized we didn’t have to put the bond issue on," he said. "That was a relief, truly relief for all of us."
Had voters approved the measure, taxpayers would have seen their taxes increase by $147 for every $100,000 of property valued.
Instead, the district confirmed to News 5 much of the funding for the middle school will come from the new reappraisals, as well as funding from the Nexus pipeline, which runs through the district.
Dr. Hall hopes to see the new middle school up and running by Fall 2027.
Election day for other school district ballot measures is Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Clay LePard is a special projects reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow him on Twitter @ClayLePard or on Facebook Clay LePard News 5.
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