Reappraisal process flawed; thoughts on new Catholic policy and more | Voice of the People

Reappraisal process flawed

I recently had an informal hearing with a representative from the Summit County Auditor’s Office regarding the new appraised value of my property. As I explained to the representative, I was concerned that the county’s new appraised value of my property had increased by 60% while most of the home values for my neighbors’ properties increased by about 33%. The auditor’s representative explained that since I had appealed my 2020 appraised value and received a reduction from the Board of Revision, that reduction “dropped off” before the new appreciation factor was calculated.

In other words, after I had a professional appraisal done and appeared before the Board of Revision, and after I convinced them that my appraised value was too high, the auditor’s office ignored the decision of the Board of Revision, reverted to the original 2020 value and then tacked on another 33% increase to arrive at the value for 2023.

So if anyone is thinking of appealing their property’s appraised value before the Board of Revision, be prepared to keep going back every three years, because the system is rigged so that even if you get a reduction in your appraised value, they will catch up with you in the next revaluation.

Richard Rexroad, Cuyahoga Falls

Fix reappraisal process

Property taxes in Ohio will increase substantially with the Ohio Department of Taxation basing property valuations on only one year of sales, instead of the usual three years. I believe much of this increase in property values is due to private equity firms and hedge funds buying large amounts of single-family homes and driving the prices up.

Senate President Matt Huffman, a Republican, claims that lawmakers didn’t have time to address the issue. They are apparently too busy trying to stifle and punish our college professors for teaching true history instead of conservative propaganda. Now, in the short term, the Republicans want to freeze the tax increase for people over age 70. How about helping the younger people afford housing, too?

Mark Felber, Munroe Falls

Why do we still tolerate racism

While watching a program about Mississippi on PBS, I was deeply disturbed by how badly Black people were treated, just because they were Black. Of course, we don’t have to go back to Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War to learn how hated Black people were treated. Imagine separate schools, housing, drinking fountains, and even waiting rooms in doctor’s offices that were set up to keep Black people separate. That was way back then, but the injustice and hatred continue today in the land of the “free.”

How does white privilege remain today in a country that proclaims liberty and justice for all? This has dominated and excluded not only Black lives but the lives of Jews, Latinos, Asians and any other minorities who are considered problematic in some way. Banks, real estate agents and school systems decide who can be treated with dignity and respect.

The Civil War and the Constitution continued to proclaim that all people who are born with liberty, equality and dignity, but none of those important proclamations were able to achieve the goal that was intended. Some people are born already hated and dominated by those born white. How can American people continue to ignore the lesson of the Civil War and government policies that promise all to live as one nation? It’s clearly demonic that choosing evil continues to dominate in a world where accidental attributes define a person for a lifetime. Is there a solution to such egregious behaviors?

Sister Kathy McIntyre, Fairlawn

Stand with the bishops

I want to comment on the article about the Catholic bishops and the upcoming Issue 1 on abortion. The bishops are not out to win a popularity contest. They are responsible to their flocks for teaching the truth and guiding them in matters of faith and morals.

Anne Williams, North Canton

Catholic Church policy troubling

Cleveland Bishop Edward Malesic’s new “Parish and School Policy on Issues of Sexuality and Gender Identity” pulls away the welcome mat for any and all members of the Northeast Ohio LGBTQ+ community, and tries to take away hope from anyone who has decided to address the physical and mental health problems caused by their gender dysphoria. The bishop will permit no medical treatments, no rainbow flags, no same-sex couples at school dances, no name changes, and hardly any discussion of same.

Is this what he means when he says “all are welcome” in his church?

What would Jesus do here?

Jeff Davis, Akron

Impeachment inquiry foolish

There’s no evidence to suggest President Joe Biden committed impeachable high crimes and misdemeanors. As such, Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s retributive impeachment inquiry is a smear in search of a justification, while instantly making him one of the most loyal and effective congressional toadies former President Donald Trump ever had.

Mark Ira Kaufman, Silver Lake

Presidential choices lacking

There are 8 billion people on our planet. If I go to the polls in November 2024 (why would I?), I get two choices for president of the United States: old and confused vs. corrupt and dishonest.

Our political system may need some changes.

David E. Harvey, Akron

Issue 1 about anti-reproductive freedom

A recent letter indicated Issue 1 on Ohio’s November ballot would give women “the right to make their own choices regarding the following: contraception, fertility treatment, continuing a pregnancy, miscarriage treatment and abortion.” Women of Ohio already have the right to the first four of these. The only issue is the right to abortion, which proponents often call the right to reproductive freedom.

Women already have the right to reproductive freedom. Except in cases of forcible rape, women who know where babies come from have the freedom to determine with whom they will have intercourse, and the possible outcomes of that behavior. The real bone of contention is that they want anti-reproductive freedom. That is, they want the “freedom” to take the life of a human being whose presence in the world is a result of their and their partner’s freely chosen action.

Raymond J. Adamek, Kent

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Reappraisal process flawed; thoughts on new Catholic policy | Letters