Geauga County Auditor Charles E. Walder recently announced that his office is returning funds that it saved by reducing expenses in the Real Estate Assessment Fund in the second half of 2020 real property tax collection settlement.
As a result of greatly cutting its REA Fund expenses, Walder is refunding a total of $499,979.21 to be distributed among Geauga County’s political subdivisions: school districts, townships, municipalities, libraries, and other taxing authorities, according to a news release.
The REA Fund is a special restricted fund maintained on the Auditor’s books to help defray expenses associated with property appraisal and related tax assessment. As provided by law, the REA Fund is funded by fees set as a percentage of property tax collections.
From 2014 through 2017, the REA averaged over $2.1 million in annual expenses and was operating in the red, the release stated. Under Walder, those expenses were reduced and the office is no longer operating in the red.
“Responsible fiscal management is one piece of our continuing effort to protect the public’s money,” Walder said in the release. “My office continues to identify and resolve inefficiencies to better serve the taxpayer.”
The estimated distribution is:
• Berkshire School District — $19,672.16
• Cardinal School District — $23,737.01
• Chagrin Falls School District — $27,328.90
• Chardon School District — $66,820.25
• Kenston School District — $84,928.63
• Newbury School District — $11,975.59
• West Geauga School District — $48,348.90
• Kirtland School District — $266.90
• Madison School District — $82.52
• Mentor LSD School District — $581.56
• Riverside School District — $346.80
• Auburn Career Center — $7,939.79
• Auburn Township — $6,905.50
• Bainbridge Township — $24,283.84
• Burton Township — $1,808.73
• Chardon Township — $2,948.21
• Chester Township — $14,180.91
• Claridon Township — $1,514.11
• Hambden Township — $3,288.27
• Huntsburg Township — $1,319.64
• Middlefield Township — $1,664.10
• Montville Township — $982.53
• Munson Township — $6,168.75
• Newbury Township — $3,028.37
• Parkman Township — $1,534.33
• Russell Township — $12,167.92
• Thompson Township — $1,230.11
• Troy Township — $1,200.80
• Aquilla Village — $53.26
• Burton Village — $691.95
• City of Chardon — $3,490.90
• Hunting Valley Village — $607.61
• Middlefield Village — $1,246.55
• South Russell Village — $3,288.35
• Burton Library — $857.37
• Geauga Library — $16,396.59
• West Geauga Joint Recreation District — $154.59
• East Geauga Fire District –$1,415.58
• Mentor Public Library — $25.73
• Lake County Finance — $29.30
• Kirtland Public Library — $5.78
• Geauga County — $95,460.52
Read More: Geauga County Auditor announced funds headed back to local governments | Geauga