Property owners get $8 million tax break
Erie County commissioners vote to extend suspension of tax collection of county's portion of property taxes
SANDUSKY — Erie County homeowners are poised to see continued relief on their property tax bills.
“County commissioners signed a letter to provide property tax relief for 2026,” said commissioner Matt Old, who has led an effort to reduce property taxes. “This will save taxpayers nearly $8 million again next year.”
Erie County continues to be the only county in Ohio to have completely suspended its entire portion of property taxes.
On Wednesday, Old and fella commissioners Pat Shenigo and Steve Shoffner approved sending the letter to the county Budget Commission to suspend the county’s portion of inside millage — 2.3 mills — for a second year in a row. Commissioners first approved the suspension in 2024, citing both strong county finances and a wave of unvoted property tax increases that drove up bills for thousands of residents.
“Last year, we saw the unfortunate manifestation of the property tax system,” commissioners wrote in their request. “Thousands of residents saw substantial property tax increases that were unvoted. We decided to take proactive action to mitigate the pain felt by county homeowners.”
Inside millage refers to property tax revenue collected by local governments without a direct vote of the people. By suspending the county’s portion, commissioners gave up a source of general fund revenue in order to offset higher bills.
So far, the county has managed the loss of funding. Eight months into the 2024 tax year, commissioners say the county’s general fund remains resilient, supported by years of “responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars and sound fiscal management.”
The county Budget Commission, made up of the county Prosecutor Kevin Baxter, county treasurer Caleb Stidham and county auditor Rick Jeffrey approved the request last year and are expected to approve this request.
What Is “Inside Millage” and Why Suspend It?
Inside millage refers to the portion of property taxes the county is allowed to collect without new voter approval.
Suspending 2.3 mills means the county forgoes collecting that portion in order to ease increases on homeowners.
How Much Savings Are We Talking?
Here are ballpark estimates to show how much suspending 2.3 mills could reduce property tax bills, depending on the appraised value of a property. These estimates assume 2.3 “mills” means $2.30 per $1,000 of taxable value (a typical way mills are calculated). Actual savings may vary with valuation, exemptions, and overall tax rate.
Home ValueEstimated Savings from Suspending 2.3 Mills$100,000≈ $230/year$150,000≈ $345/year$200,000≈ $460/year
What’s Next
The Board of Erie County Commissioners has submitted a request to the County Budget Commission to suspend the 2.3 mills again for tax year 2025.
If approved, homeowners will continue to benefit from this relief.
Read more about the Blue Ribbon committee’s efforts to reduce property taxes:
