Dear Greene County Residents, 

As your local school superintendents, we write to you as fellow parents and community members who share your frustration with rising property taxes. We, too, open those tax bills with concern. But today, we must share the complete picture of what's happening in our state – and what it means for the services we all depend on.

Ohio Has Shifted the Burden to You
Over the past two decades, our state lawmakers have fundamentally changed how Ohio funds education – and who pays the bill.

The facts:

• In 1991, homeowners and farmers paid 47% of school property taxes. Today, it’s nearly 70%.
• Ohio plummeted from 35th to 45th nationally in state funding for K-12 education.
• Our state share dropped from 44.8% to just 33.5% – 11.2 percentage points below the national average.

While states nationally fund about 45% of education costs, Ohio now funds only 33.5%. We're not overspending—Ohio ranks 20th nationally in per-pupil spending. We're simply being forced to fund education through your property taxes instead of state resources.

This Affects More Than Just Schools
Proposals to drastically reduce or eliminate property taxes may sound appealing. We understand that impulse. But property taxes fund the infrastructure that makes Greene County home.

Our Children Deserve Better
Every child in Greene County deserves excellent teachers, safe schools, and programs that prepare them for success. When Ohio's state funding per student falls $2,672 below the national average, the burden falls on our local community.

A Call for Real Solutions
We don't write to defend the status quo. We write because our community deserves honest solutions, not quick fixes that could devastate Greene County's services.
Real property tax relief must involve Ohio stepping up to fund public education, just as 44 other states do more effectively. Real relief requires thoughtful, targeted approaches:

For Those Who Need It Most:

• Enhanced relief for seniors on fixed incomes
• Expanded exemptions for citizens with disabilities
• Strengthened homestead exemptions for low-income families

Sustainable Protections:

• Revenue growth limits preventing unsustainable increases
• Caps tied to inflation and income growth

Local Control and Transparency:

• Greater flexibility in structuring tax abatements
• Enhanced transparency in how incentives are granted

We need our state legislators to be partners in this solution, not bystanders.

Moving Forward Together
The path forward requires residents, educators, and elected officials working together to demand that Ohio provide adequate state funding while pursuing meaningful property tax relief. Other states have found this balance. Ohio can too.

Stay engaged, ask questions, and demand accountability. Our children's future and our county's strength depend on getting this right.

Thank you for your continued support of public education and for being a county that puts children first. 

Sincerely,