STARK COUNTY, Ohio — Stark County’s next full property reappraisal has been pushed back to 2031, a one-year delay aimed at balancing county workloads and improving accuracy across Ohio’s property tax system.

The change affects 16 counties statewide, including Stark, and follows a recommendation from Ohio’s Property Tax Working Group. The goal: spread reappraisals more evenly across the state’s 88 counties to reduce strain on the Ohio Department of Taxation and third-party appraisal vendors.

“This is a little bit in the weeds,” said Chris Galloway, Lake County auditor and a member of the working group, “but where we hope it helps taxpayers is that it ultimately results in as accurate of data as we can create.”

Under the previous system, too many counties were reassessed in the same years, creating bottlenecks at the state level. According to Galloway, that imbalance led to staffing challenges, vendor capacity issues, and continuity problems that could affect valuation quality.

The new schedule distributes reappraisals more evenly over time, which officials say should improve service, consistency, and accuracy.

For local property owners, the change mainly affects timing, not process.

Here’s how Stark County’s schedule now looks:

That means Stark County residents will pay property taxes based on their 2027 updated values until 2031, rather than moving into a full reappraisal sooner.

In the short term, this could provide temporary tax relief, since property taxes often increase following full reappraisals.

Another key change:
If a property owner appeals their 2027 valuation through the Board of Revision and wins, that adjusted value will now remain in effect for four years instead of three.

Beyond that, the reappraisal process itself remains unchanged.

“Process-wise, it will be the same,” Galloway said.

Angela Kinsey, Stark County Auditor, said the change primarily impacts scheduling—not daily operations.

“We continue to track sales, review property information, answer questions from property owners, and handle appeals as they come in,” Kinsey said. “Our focus remains being accurate, transparent, and responsive to taxpayers.”

🏠 What: Stark County property reappraisal delayed
📅 New Full Reappraisal: 2031
📊 Next Update: Triennial update in 2027
⏳ Why: Balance statewide workload, improve valuation accuracy
💡 Impact:

AKRON, Ohio — Akron and the surrounding region could see a wave of new jobs, expanded health services, and manufacturing investment thanks to a $45 million federal New Markets Tax Credit allocation awarded to the Development Finance Authority of Summit County.

The funding allows the DFA to help finance large-scale projects that serve low-income communities, including health care facilities, community services, and manufacturing operations that offer living-wage jobs.

“This is a big deal for the region,” said DFA President Rachel Bridenstine. “It means there’s investment ability that simply wouldn’t happen otherwise.”

One local example is the Ronald McDonald House of Akron, which used $2 million in tax credit financing to help complete a $10 million expansion in 2018.

Before the expansion, families receiving treatment at Akron Children’s Hospital often faced long waitlists for nearby lodging. The project added 22 new rooms, bringing the total to 42, and dramatically increased the number of families the house could serve.

Since the expansion:

“The impact on the number of families we could serve is so significant,” said Craig Wilson, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northeast Ohio.

The new allocation gives the DFA the ability to fund about six additional projects over the next two years. While based in Summit County, the DFA’s service area spans 34 counties across northern Ohio, making the investment regionally significant.

Priority projects include:

Since 2011, the DFA has received $235 million in New Markets Tax Credits, supporting 32 projects such as:

Together, these projects have helped create or retain more than 2,000 jobs and deliver services to over 500,000 people.

The New Markets Tax Credit program works by attracting private investment—often from large banks—that can then be leveraged into long-term financing for projects that otherwise might not move forward.

For families like those staying at the Ronald McDonald House, the result is tangible: a place to sleep, meals, laundry access, and one less burden during medical treatment.

“It’s really great for the Akron region,” Bridenstine said. “More quality jobs, quality services — that’s what it’s going to be.”

💰 What: $45M federal New Markets Tax Credit allocation
🏙️ Who: Development Finance Authority of Summit County
🧑‍⚕️ Funds Support: Health care, community services, manufacturing
📈 Impact So Far:

Why it matters:
This funding helps unlock projects that bring real jobs and real services into the Akron area—supporting families, strengthening neighborhoods, and boosting long-term economic stability.