Thursday, May 22, 2008

Butler County: Reynolds Goes to Columbus

I love this story because it mentions two of my favorite people (that list is long and exhaustive!), tax cuts, and a chance for me to call upon the mad skillz of Cox Newspapers' intrepid reporter Josh Sweigart:
Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds testified in the Senate Ways and Means and Economic Development Committee this morning in support of Senate Bill 306, legislation designed to expand eligibility for Ohio’s Homestead Exemption program.

The bill, which State Senator Gary Cates, R-Butler County, co-sponsored, would extend property tax relief to senior citizens and disabled Ohioans living in housing cooperatives, as well as seniors who have created irrevocable living trusts, many of whom are currently excluded from receiving benefits.

In House Bill 119, last year’s state budget bill, the General Assembly approved an expansion of Ohio’s Homestead Exemption to include all Ohioans age 65 or older, as well as disabled Ohio residents, regardless of their income level. However, a number of residents in this group were denied property tax benefits because of their living arrangements.

Under current Ohio law, only residents of housing cooperatives — condominium-like complexes where each resident owns the deed to his or her own unit — with more than 250 units qualify for the Homestead Exemption. SB 306 would redefine housing cooperative to include groups of two or more units.
Be sure to check out the rest of the story and the comments at Josh's place.

I am curious, as is the lone commenter on the story so far over at Josh's, what the offsets are... Don't get me wrong, I think this is a good idea; but I'm not all that interested in picking up the tab.

UPDATE 1: State Sen. Cates has been busy...