OH HB499

County budget commissions gain authority to reduce property tax levy collections if they determine amounts are "unnecessary, excessive, or unneeded," though levies cannot be reduced below the prior year's collection level unless offset by reserve balances, trust funds, or carryover amounts.

School districts remain protected from levy reductions that would drop their current operating expense levies below the 20-mill minimum required for state funding eligibility.

Levies exceeding the ten-mill limitation must be approved without modification in their first year, unless they are renewals of existing taxes or the taxing unit requests a lower rate.

The tax commissioner must annually determine and certify to county auditors any rate adjustments needed for "qualifying fixed-sum levies" to produce their specified revenue amounts.

Amends sections 3317.01, 5705.31, 5705.32, and 5705.321 and creates new section 5705.60 of the Ohio Revised Code.