The Geauga County commissioners this month announced approximately $1.7 million in property tax relief, returning money to taxpayers after determining it was not needed to fund county operations. At its Dec. 16 meeting, the board suspended collection of the 0.5-mill Children Services levy for the 20 26 collection year, reducing property taxes for residents while maintaining the county’s strong financial position, according to a news release. This decision followed a review of updated financial data showing the county’s unencumbered carryover balance for fiscal year 2026 was far higher than originally projected. While earlier estimates placed the carryover at approximately $6.7 million, revised figures now reflect an estimated carryover of approximately $15 million, the release stated. With this updated information, the commissioners determined that certain previously authorized tax collections were not necessary to meet the County’s 2026 budgetary needs. “When we saw the numbers, it was clear,” Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri stated in the release. “We didn’t need this money from taxpayers. JFS will still be fully funded, but we’ll cover it through the General Fund.” Commissioner Carolyn Brakey emphasized the impact on residents. “People are feeling the pinch every time they buy groceries or fill up their gas tank,” she stated in the release. “If the county doesn’t need the money, it shouldn’t sit in a government savings account. It should stay with the people who earned it.” After the higher-than-anticipated carryover was identified, county staff coordinated with other offices to make the tax relief possible. “This was a team effort,” County Commissioner Jim Dvorak added in the release. “We thank the Auditor’s Office, the Prosecutor’s Office, the Budget Commission, and our County staff for their hard work in getting this over the finish line. We cut taxes, protected services, and still kept the county on solid financial ground.” ...read more read less