Ohio lawmakers asking Miami Conservancy District to 'pause' new rates

Apr. 24—State lawmakers and a U.S. Congressman are echoing what Hamilton City Council already has asked the Miami Conservancy District (MCD) to do regarding planned higher assessments to property owners for flood protections: Pause.

"I think what we're trying to do right now is to slow the car down a little bit, and then I'm looking forward to getting into this a little bit and figure out what we can do to help MCD," said Ohio Rep. Rodney Creech, R-West Alexandria, who is drafting a letter to the Miami Conservancy District Board of Directors. "The big thing is that a lot of this came as a shock to many."

In the letter, lawmakers are asking the Miami Conservancy District board to "pause their current property value reappraisal and reconsider the methodology used." The letter, signed by 16 lawmakers, including all four from Butler County, was expected to be sent today.

While this assessment impacts more than 43,000 properties across the region, nearly 900 properties will see Miami Conservancy assessments on the annual tax bills exceeding $1,000, including more than 200 in Butler County. More than 83% of the people paying the maintenance and capital assessments would see their MCD assessment at less than $250.

The Miami Conservancy District, which was created to establish flood protections in the years following the 1913 flood, has proposed a new 1% capital assessment and a 0.59% increase to the 2.19% maintenance assessment thousands of residents are already paying. The assessments will cover costs related to the upkeep and rehabilitation of the levee and dam system.

The new assessment and increased rates are being applied to updated property values. Rates are currently based on values from 12 years ago. So combined with recent, historic increases in property values, the charge increase on some properties is substantial.

The issue has also grabbed the attention of Congressman Warren Davidson, R-Troy, who sent a letter Monday to Gov. Mike DeWine, Senate President Matt Huffman and House Speaker Jason Stephens, encouraging them to "review and update (Ohio's) laws governing conservancy districts" as the recent assessment announcements "have highlighted substantial taxation authority lacking adequate public recourse that threatens taxpayers and the vitality of communities."

Davidson applauded community and elected leaders rallying opposition to the new assessments, but he highlights there are thousands of assessed property owners who essentially "lack representation" in this matter.

The nine Common Pleas Court judges who are involved in the review and approval of the reappraisal of benefits methodology are the only elected representation for taxpayers, Davidson said. However, the Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct says a judge "shall not be swayed by public clamor or fear of criticism" and "shall not convey or permit others to convey the impression that any person or organization is in a position to influence the judge."

When the assessments were made public, some in Butler County went into sticker shock. Spooky Nook Sports Champion Mill will see its assessments of its two properties increase more than 50 times, collectively jumping from just more than $8,800 a year to nearly $478,000.

Creech said "the timing couldn't be worse" for the assessment announcements.

"My thinking was we need to come together as legislatures and say, 'Hey, we understand there's a problem and we need to sit down and talk about it, and not rush into this,'" he said. "They need funding, and I can't say enough great things about MCD and what they do, but we cannot just be wiping out people and businesses to accomplish the goal."

Creech said nothing legislatively would be done until they sit down and talk with conservancy district officials.