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Mahoning Treasurer Cuts Year-end Statements
YOUNGSTOWN -- With the failure of the half-percent sales tax in November, Mahoning County Treasurer John Reardon said he has to eliminate sending year-end tax statements in 2004 to property owners who pay their tax through mortgage escrow companies.In past years, approximately 35,000 statements have been sent in December to taxpayers who did not receive that year's regular biannual tax bills, because their real estate tax was included in their monthly mortgage payments then paid to the treasurer on their behalf by the mortgage company. The statements have shown not only the amount of the tax paid for each property, but also a complete breakdown of how the tax dollars are distributed to the various taxing districts, the assessed value of the property, the total and effective millage tax rates, and other information about property taxes in Ohio and Mahoning County."Mortgage escrow companies always send an annual statement to their taxpayers, but their statements only show the amount of the tax that was paid. Our statement has contained much more pertinent and useful information than just the amount of the tax," Reardon said. He added that the information communicated to taxpayers has far outweighed the nominal cost to provide the service.Reardon indicated that the service has been well received by mortgage escrow taxpayers. "Of all the services we've provided, this one has probably elicited the most positive feedback. Homeowners have really appreciated receiving the detailed information," he explained. "Some have even commented that the statements have enabled them to make informed decisions about school levies and other voter initiatives."However, he pointed out that this service is not a statutory requirement, and for that reason it cannot any longer be provided until the county is again solvent. "Practically everything we do in the treasurer's office is mandated by law, but the year-end statements are not a mandated service," he said. "Even though the cost was nominal -- basically printing and postage -- as a non-mandated service it needs to be eliminated in this environment of fiscal crisis."Reardon said that he hopes to again offer the service in the future. "Taxpayers have said they appreciate the service, so if the sales tax revenue is reinstated and the county's financial condition stabilizes, we will again send the statements in future years," he said."