Commissioners update tax exemption after state action; move $16.3 million out of County Jail fund

ELYRIA — Less than a month after approving a controversial property tax exemption for certain eligible residents, Lorain County commissioners rescinded their vote — citing tax relief legislation state lawmakers passed on June 11. Tuesday's vote was 2-1, with Commissioner David Moore voting against rescinding the exemption even after the state found a way to provide some tax relief. "If I could triple it, I'd triple it," he said of the tax exemption. The tax issue was one of a number of issues commissioners tackled at their meeting, the only one they will have this week due to the Fourth of July holiday. Tax relief State legislators provided tax relief in House Bill 479, including $350 million in property tax relief for homeowners receiving the so-called homestead exemption. Commissioners on June 5 unanimously approved the permissive "piggyback" homestead exemption, which reduced property taxes for an estimated 22,000 Lorain County households with homeowners who are 65 and older, disabled, disabled veterans or surviving spouses of deceased first responders. Tuesday's vote reverses that, with homeowners still receiving tax relief and entities receiving property taxes receiving some of their lost revenue back. Critics of the homestead exemption, plus and an owner-occupancy credit commissioners declined to renew on June 5, said the exemptions cost Lorain County schools, cities, libraries and other entities that rely on property taxes an estimated $17.4 million in revenue. Commissioner Marty Gallagher said the vote isn't permanent and the matter will be back in front of commissioners next year, "so when the needy do need relief, we have that option." Commissioner Jeff Riddell said the state Legislature's decision "extracts us from a situation that we shouldn't have been in in the first place." Lorain County school officials applauded commissioners for their action, as residents will still get tax relief and the schools get some revenue back. Elyria Schools Superintendent Ann Schloss said that meant $1 million for her district, which recently cut $9 million from its budget. North Ridgeville Schools will get back $900,000 in funding, Superintendent Roxann Ramsey-Caserio said. Lorain County Jail fund transfer Commissioners voted unanimously to transfer just over $16.3 million out of a county construction fund, money that had been set aside to plan, design and start construction on a new Lorain County Jail. Moore is the only commissioner left from that time. He voted in late 2022 against setting aside the $20 million for future jail construction, but was outvoted 2-1 by Michelle Hung, a fellow Republican, and Matt Lundy, a Democrat. Nearly $3.7 million of that $20 million has been spent on design and planning. Asked if the remaining $16.3 million could be used on other infrastructure projects such as the controversial installation of sewers on the west side of Lorain County, Moore said "that is a possibility." The current jail was built in the 1970s, is beyond its useful age and has needed to be replaced for many years, county officials have said. A seven-member board is overseeing the replacement process. Public hearings on a potential sales tax increase to pay for a new $142.6 million jail are scheduled July 17 and July 21. Moore said it will be up to commissioners to decide what to do with the money in the coming months as they work on the 2027 county budget. Those talks and the decisions commissioners have to make could get "ugly," he said. Dunkin' in Sheffield Township Commissioners approved a community reinvestment area agreement with Damsa LTD to build a Dunkin' Donuts in Sheffield Township. Damsa will spend $2.57 million on the project, including $1.8 million on construction, $250,000 on machinery and equipment and $20,000 on inventory on the site at Cooper Foster Park Road and Broadway. Thirteen new permanent full-time and 21 new permanent part-time jobs will be created, according to the county. A community reinvestment area is a state program where property owners can receive tax incentives for investing in real property improvements, including renovating or building new buildings. The project has been four years in the making but was held up by stormwater regulations, Lorain County Community Development Director Rob Duncan said. Other business- Commissioners also awarded a nearly $1.2 million contract to Underground Utilities Inc. of Monroeville to install 3,080 feet of 8-inch sewer line in the Rolling Heights Allotment in Sheffield Township. The work will be done on or before Nov. 30. The Ohio Public Works Commission is providing $395,990 for construction, with the remaining $793,169 to be paid by the county and reimbursed with an Ohio Department of Development Residential Public Infrastructure Grant worth $750,000. Assistant County Engineer Robert Klaiber said the area "has long since needed sanitary sewers" but residents couldn't afford the assessments. Using grants and loans will "help clean up failing septic systems in the county," he said. - They also voted to reduced the size of the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services of Lorain County Board of Directors from 18 members to 12 members at that board's request. Moore said he didn't know exactly why the MHARS board requested the change. A MHARS board representative couldn't be reached for comment by press time. - Finally, commissioners passed a resolution asking the Lorain County Auditor's Office to figure out how much money would be raised by a new county Children Services levy on the November ballot. The options are additional 0.35-mill, 0.40-mill and 0.45-mill additional levies for five years. Commissioners have until Aug. 5 to decide whether to put a levy on. Commissioners will not meet Friday due to the July 4 holiday. County offices will be closed. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.