New year brings new taxes for some

LISBON - With a new year comes tax increases for some property owners and decreases for others.

The Columbiana County Auditor's Office recently released a list of areas where taxes will increase and decrease in 2010, based on decisions made either by local school boards, voters themselves or other factors.

The following is a list of areas where property owners can expect to see the changes reflected when the first-half property tax bills are mailed out this year:

Crestview School District

Property owners can expect to see an increase in their taxes following action taken by the school board to move inside millage around. This will result in a net tax increase of about $46 a year for the owner of a $100,000 home, according to figures provided by the auditor's office.

Inside millage is the amount of property taxes that can be collected without voter approval, while outside millage is property taxes approved by voters in the form of levies or bond issues. Schools can move their inside millage around in such a way that it can either raise or cut taxes without voter approval, which is what the Crestview school board did after holding the required public hearing.

Crestview moved the millage from operations to capital improvements to pay off an existing bond issue early.

Knox Township

Property taxes would increase for residents in both the Homeworth and North Georgetown fire districts after voters in those areas approved new fire levies in the 2009 general election. The result is a $48 tax increase for the owner of a $100,000 home in the Homeworth Fire District and a $17 increase for the owner of a $100,000 home in the North Georgetown Fire District.

Liverpool Township

Property taxes will increase by nearly $23 a year for the owner of a $100,000 home after voters in 2008 renewed a fire levy, but as a replacement levy, which allows the levy to be collected at its original rate.

Salineville

Property taxes will increase by a combined $13 a year for the owner of a $100,000 home after voters in 2008 approved renewal of operating and cemetery levies, but as replacement levies, which allows the levies to be collected at their original rates.

Madison Township

Property taxes will increase by $12 a year for the owner of a $100,000 home after voters in the 2009 election renewed a road levy, but as a replacement levy, which allows the levy to be collected at its original rate.

Minerva

Taxes will increase by nearly $12 for the owner of a $100,000 home in the Minerva school district because of adjustments in the reduction factor.

Beaver Local School District

Taxes will decrease by about 55 cents for the owner of a $100,000 home after the amount be collected on an emergency levy was dropped slightly because of the automatic reduction factor.

East Palestine School District

Taxes will decrease by $68 for the owner of a $100,000 home after the amount to be collected on a bond issue was reduced because the bond issue generates more than is needed to satisfy the original debt.

tgiambroni@mojonews.com