Tax mediation in homeowner-related tax disputes has seen exceptional success in Franklin County, Ohio, according to the county’s Board of Revision.  On the board, Commissioner Marilyn Brown, Auditor Clarence Mingo and Treasurer Ed Leonard pushed for mediation as a form of alternative dispute resolution to assist with the often backlogged tax cases. 

In many of the cases, before the mediation program was set in place, homeowners within the area had to wait several years to have their cases resolved.  Now, mediation has proven to be a low-cost, successful alternative to litigation for more than 1,600 people in the Mingo area since June 4^th of 2013.  

According to Dave O’Neil, a spokesperson for Mingo, “The homeowner has to sign off on any agreement made during a mediation session. I would believe this means they ‘win’ every time there’s an agreement. If the homeowner is unhappy during mediation or cannot reach a settlement, it goes to the Board of Revision.”

Some of the numbers resulting from the mediation sessions are encouraging for homeowners considering the program.  In some cases, it has been reported that the tax mediation program has assisted in reducing taxes owed by 67%.   The mediation program was developed with the assistance of the Ohio Supreme Court and is a prime example of how politicians can work together across party lines to create meaningful legislation and programs that provide immediate relief to the taxpayers who need it most. 

According to the program’s rules, if mediation is chosen by the property owner, that owner will receive a phone conference or meeting with an independent mediator who can facilitate the terms of an agreement.  That agreement is later sent to the board for final approval.