2014 Real Estate Assessment Fund distribution:
$231,951 — Clark County
$28,566 — Clark County general fund
$50,396 — Children Services
$41,416 — Mental Health Recovery Board of Clark, Greene and Madison Counties
$10,079 — Clark County Parks District
$16,628 — United Senior Services
$84,864 — Developmental Disabilities of Clark County
$5,510 — New Carlisle
$23,859 — Springfield
$37 — Catawba
$34 — Clifton
$263 — Donnelsville
$2,967 — Enon
$201 — North Hampton
$499 — South Charleston
$67 — South Vienna
$67 — Tremont City
$16,097 — Clark County Combined Health District
$21,286 — Clark County Public Library
$71,186 — Clark-Shawnee Local Schools
$60,816 — Greenon Local Schools
$100,890 — Northeastern Local Schools
$58,440 — Northwestern Local Schools
$21,047 — Southeastern Local Schools
$201,039 — Springfield City Schools
$41,742 — Springfield Clark CTC
$76,885 — Tecumseh Local Schools
$1,912 — Cedar Cliff Local Schools
$222 — Fairborn City Schools
$183 — Greene County JVS
$138 — Yellow Springs EVSD
$7,638 — Bethel Twp.
$7,218 — German Twp.
$3,406 — Green Twp.
$3,445 — Harmony Twp.
$1,772 — Madison Twp.
$8,320 — Mad River Twp.
$12,430 — Moorefield Twp.
$3,546 — Pike Twp.
$2,990 — Pleasant Twp.
$11,997 — Springfield Twp.
Total REA returns: $1,000,117
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Local schools and government entities will get more than $1 million as the county has announced plans to return money to them from the Real Estate Assessment Fund.
The REA Fund is a percentage of property taxes from local schools, townships, municipalities and other entities that county auditors use as a service fee to pay for real estate appraisals.
Clark County Auditor John Federer, who is running for re-election in November, said officials can distribute the surplus back to the entities that paid into the REA Fund.
Each entity will get a refund of approximately 38 percent of what it provided for the REA.
“I’m real proud to be able to give back to these entities who are struggling right now,” Federer said.
Federer said his office was able to provide the refund as a result of efficient management and new technology that saved money.
Much of the money was saved by not filling one or two positions in the office, he said, as well as the use of aerial flight photography, monitoring overtime costs and the utilization of technology.
Nikki Crawford, who is running against Federer for the auditor’s seat, said it’s great that the office is distributing the money to schools and government entities. But she questioned whether the money comes from previous administrations instead of funds that Federer saved between 2013 and 2014.
“I don’t think it was saved under his watch. Some of it could have been, but not all of it,” Crawford said.
School districts pay the bulk of the money into the REA Fund and will receive the largest refund. The total refund for all school districts is more than $634,000.
Springfield City School District will receive more than $201,000. Northeastern Local will get more than $100,000.
“Obviously, we’re delighted. I don’t think this has ever happened before — maybe prior to me, but certainly not in my memory. Between the (casino) money and this, every bit helps,” Springfield City Superintendent Dave Estrop said.
Last month, Springfield City received $188,000 in casino revenue. School districts in Ohio share 34 percent of that tax revenue and receive two casino payments per year — one in January and another in August.
The money will be placed in the district’s general fund for operating revenue, Estrop said. The district is in good shape financially, he said, and “this money just helps us stay there.”
Clark County government entities will receive more than $231,000.
About $28,000 will go to the general fund and the remaining money will be distributed to Children Services; Mental Health Recovery Board of Clark, Greene and Madison Counties; the Clark County Parks District; United Senior Services and Developmental Disabilities of Clark County.
The refund is nice, Clark County Administrator Nathan Kennedy said, but doesn’t make up for losses from investment funds and local government fund cuts.
An REA refund may have occurred in the 1980s, but Kennedy said he’s certain that the auditor’s office hasn’t distributed a REA surplus in Clark County since 1998.
Other county auditors across the state have also distributed refunds to schools and government entities. Medina County Auditor Mike Kovack recently returned $5 million from REA funds and Franklin County Auditor Clarence Mingo’s office returned more than $10.5 million, according to media reports.
Janet Schuler, chairwoman of the property tax and valuation committee for the County Auditor’s Association of Ohio and Auglaize County auditor, said REA refunds aren’t unusual.
The law allows county auditors to collect a percentage of taxes for appraisals, Schuler said, but auditors can decide to collect a smaller percentage or to return a surplus.
Schuler said she has collected fewer taxes than allowed by law for years.
“Some county auditors just don’t collect all that they can … If I don’t collect it, they get more. It’s the same as refunding,” she said.
Federer said his decision to refund the money to schools and government entities wasn’t done to score political campaign points. He said he couldn’t return the money until after the county revaluation was complete.
“This isn’t a political thing. It’s the right thing to do when you realize you have it,” Federer said. “It’s a good question. It could be construed as (political), but call it what it is. They’re getting over $1 million back. That hasn’t happened before. It took me four years to accumulate it and here you are.”
A ceremonial check presentation will be held at 9:30 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Clark County Auditor’s Office in the A.B. Graham Building, 31 N. Limestone St.
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