It’s that time of year, as real estate tax bills for the first half of 2024 were recently mailed to residents of Summit County. Many residents may see an increase, according to a news release from Summit County Fiscal Officer Kristen Scalise. Payment is due by Friday, Feb. 28.

Recent ballot measures approved by voters have increased millage rates, which help support public schools, fire and police departments, EMS and infrastructure, among others.

As these levies take effect, property owners may see higher tax bills.

Among the levies are: 

  • A 4.5 mill replacement levy for the Summit County Board of Development Disabilities passed during the 2023 General Election, which means property owners will see an increase of approximately $158 for the year per $100,000 of appraised value. (The levy this replaces expired at the end of 2024, so the new replacement levy, assessed at 2023 housing values, kicks in now.)
  • A current expense levy of 7.6 mills and a bond levy of 1.29 mills passed during the 2024 General Election for the Akron Public Schools, which means property owners will see an annual increase of about $311 for the year per $100,000 of appraised value. 
Signal background

Help managing the increases in Summit County

The county’s Tax Installment Plan (TIP) assists homeowners who can’t fully pay their bill by the due date and can help enrolled homeowners avoid late payment penalties. 

By enrolling in the program, you agree to make monthly payments until Nov. 15 of the year you implement the plan.

To be eligible, all of your taxes and assessments must be current. The deadline to sign up is Feb. 28 — call 330-643-2869 to enroll (there is no way to apply online). 

The Real Estate Discount Program (RED) provides homeowners with a method of budgeting their semi-annual tax bills into six payments — they receive a discount because their early payments help generate interest revenues that are shared with those in the program. 

All Summit County property owners qualify, but your real estate taxes must be current. Call (330) 643-2590 to enroll now. 

Homestead Exemption program:

Some residents may qualify for a Homestead Exemption, including: 

  • Homeowners over the age of 65.
  • Homeowners who are permanently and totally disabled.
  • Military veterans who have either:
    • Received a total (100%) disability rating for service-connected disabilities.
    • Received a total (100%) disability rating for compensation for service-connected disabilities based on a determination of individual unemployability.
  • Homeowners already receiving the Homestead Exemption who have recently changed residences.
  • Spouse of a fallen first responder who passed away in the line of duty.

If your taxes are delinquent

The county fiscal office offers some programs to assist homeowners with delinquent taxes — call their office at 330-643-2600 if you have fallen behind.

Get a copy of your Summit County tax bill

To request a copy of your tax bill, call 330-643-2588 or download it from http://FiscalOffice.summitoh.net.

Editor-in-Chief (she/her)
Zake has deep roots in Northeast Ohio journalism. She was the managing editor for multimedia and special projects at the Akron Beacon Journal, where she began work as a staff photographer in 1986. Over a 20-year career, Zake worked in a variety of roles across departments that all help inform her current role as Signal Akron's editor in chief. Most recently, she was a journalism professor and student media adviser at Kent State University, where she worked with the next generation of journalists to understand public policy, environmental reporting, data and solutions reporting. Among her accomplishments was the launch of the Kent State NewsLab, an experiential and collaborative news commons that connects student reporters with outside professional partners.