SpringfieldNewsSun.com

SPRINGFIELD — It's not only homeowners who are feeling the tax pinch from new property valuations; some business owners who recently received their property bills are feeling the sting as well.

Some owners of commercial property who have looked around at the modest pace of commercial development in their neighborhoods are asking why their property values spiked.

"I think there's a problem," said John Fleeger Jr., owner of Home City Tent & Awning Co. in downtown Springfield.

"There has been no major construction around any of his properties in the last three years, Fleeger said. "I think there's a bug in the system."

The value of commercial property in Clark County was determined to have increased by an average 13.5 percent since 2004, according to the 2007 property reappraisal released by the Clark County auditor's office.

Clark County Auditor George Sodders said areas of the county have "remained relatively isolated" from nationwide trends of decrease because of hot spot business areas like Springfield's North Bechtle Avenue.

The village of North Hampton saw the biggest three-year increase, at a rate of almost 92 percent. The village's 2004 commercial value was $788,971 and grew to almost $1.5 million.

A new Subway restaurant and three new small businesses are credited with the growth, which Mayor Emory Harrod said the village needs.

There were some areas of Clark County that saw commercial property lose value.

The village of Donnelsville decreased the most — more than 93 percent.

Donnelsville Mayor Bob Cornwell said the loss is not because of businesses that have shut down, but new school construction that is now tax-exempt.

Bethel Township and the city of New Carlisle also decreased in commercial value, 4.4 and 10.8 percent, respectively.

Springfield's commercial property value increase was consistent with Clark County's average at an increase of slightly more than 13.5 percent.