Auditor Refunds $5 million in Real Estate Fees to Local Communities Posted Thursday, December 26, 2024

Delaware County Auditor George Kaitsa has refunded $5 million in real estate fees from his office's six-year reappraisal of all Delaware County properties. The fees that were not needed for conducting the sexennial reappraisal have been returned to the County's jurisdictions that receive property taxes through levies. These jurisdictions include school districts, the Delaware Area Career Center, levy agencies, municipalities and townships. The refunds are based on a prorated amount of the levies collected for each political jurisdiction.

Of the $5 million, the County's school districts will receive 72.4% or $3.6 million. Olentangy Schools received $2,063,609 while Delaware City Schools received $419,909; Westerville City Schools received $390,866; the Big Walnut district received $336,747; Dublin City Schools received $223,971; and the Buckeye Valley district received $170,583. The Delaware Area Career Center received a refund of $159,717.

The 19 townships in Delaware County received $458,613 or 9.2% of the amount refunded. Among the recipients were Orange Township with $123,268, Genoa Township with $111,508, and Liberty Township with $94,110.

Delaware County received a refund of $127,697, representing 2.6% of the amount refunded while levy-supported County agencies like SourcePoint, Developmental Disabilities, Mental Health and Recovery Services, Delaware Public Health District, Preservation Parks and the County's 9-1-1 Center received refunds that totaled $429,556 or 8.6% of the amount refunded.

Municipalities received refunds of $96,709 while Fire Districts received refunds of $39,366. Libraries in Delaware County received refunds totaling $57,432. The Delaware County District Library received a refund of $39,803. Westerville Public Library received a refund of $11,074 and the Community Library in Sunbury received $6,452.

Since Kaitsa took office as Delaware County Auditor in 2009, his office has refunded $19.7 million in real estate fees, enabling local jurisdictions to provide additional services to Delaware County residents and taxpayers.