Property Tax Mediation Program Renewed
Published on March 31, 2026
Franklin County Board of Commissioners
Franklin County is extending its property tax mediation program for another year, approving five contract extensions totaling $616,810 to keep the service running for residents who dispute their property valuations.
The program, operated through the Franklin County Auditor's Office, is the only one of its kind in Ohio and one of roughly five nationwide. It offers property owners an alternative to the formal Board of Revision process, which can require hiring an attorney, traveling to a hearing, and navigating a lengthy appeals timeline.
Steve Jarrell, Deputy Chief of Staff for Real Estate in the Auditor's Office, told commissioners the program focuses on lower-value complaints, typically $50,000 and under. Many participants are senior citizens.
"A lot of it is education or something we might have gotten wrong," Jarrell said. He noted that most cases are resolved by phone, removing the burden of an in-person hearing. Property owners who don't reach a resolution through mediation retain their full right to proceed to the Board of Revision.
The Auditor's Office expects an uptick in mediations next year as the county enters a triennial reassessment cycle.