BOR Completes Hearings

Board of Revision Completes Work for 2022

Jefferson- The Ashtabula County Board of Revision (BOR) completed their final hearing this month closing the door on a relatively quiet year according to Chairman and County Auditor David Thomas. The BOR serves as property owners’ formal check and appeal of property values used by the Auditor’s Office.

“We’re in year two after our 2020 State Mandated Revaluation and we’re a year before the 2023 Triannual Market Update, so it is a relatively quiet time for folks who want to appeal their property values,” explained County Auditor David Thomas.

The BOR received 88 total cases, of which only 69 were for property value appeals and the remainder for tax credit reinstatement of CAUV or the Non-Business Credit. In total 78 cases, or 89%, were decided with a favorable outcome to the complainant.

Property owners had to show evidence for why the Auditor’s value would not be an accurate market value on January 1, 2021. That evidence can include photos of damage, professional appraisals, recent sales, or other factors which impact value.

Members of the Board of Revision include the County Auditor, County Treasurer, and a representative from the Board of County Commissioners. For 2022 Auditor David Thomas, Treasurer Angie Maki-Cliff, and Commissioner JP Ducro successfully deliberated 59 cases without a formal hearing.

Thomas points to the work of Auditor staff and processes put in place to help residents which have led to less hearings and more favorable outcomes to property owners. The strong real estate market in Northeast Ohio also plays a role he believes, “remember our current values are from the 2020 Revaluation, and certainly the market has had higher and stronger sales since then.”

The Auditor’s Office also promotes an informal option for property owners which many take advantage of in the fall time. Currently they are accepting appointments and will have evening hours at the Henderson Memorial Library in Jefferson on September 28^th.

Following the BOR’s decisions, only six were appealed, or 7%. Three cases were appealed to the Board of Tax Appeals in Columbus and three were appealed to the Ashtabula County Court of Common Pleas. Thomas’ office assists property owners with questions on these appeals but both are a legal process and he urges caution without seeking professional representation.

(Pictured are members of the Ashtabula County Board of Revision on their last hearing day. Commissioner JP Ducro, Treasurer Alternate Alex Iarocci, Auditor David Thomas, and Assistant Real Estate Manager Tara Frable.)