Hamilton County Rejects Full 30% Property Tax Rebate for 2026—Despite Strong Public Testimony and Overwhelming Homeowner Opposition

This week, the Hamilton County Commission voted against providing homeowners with the full 30% property tax rebate for 2026—despite widespread community support, decades of unmet commitments, and compelling testimony from REALTOR® leaders and advocates.

A motion by Commissioner Alicia Reece to approve the full rebate failed after Commissioners Denise Driehaus and Stephanie Summerow Dumas opposed it, citing budget constraints. Their decision reinforces a troubling pattern: when fiscal challenges arise, Hamilton County repeatedly turns to homeowners as the easiest and most politically convenient source of revenue.

RAGC Leadership Speaks Out at the Public Hearing

At the public hearing, the REALTOR® Alliance of Greater Cincinnati (RAGC) was represented by a unified leadership front:

Each delivered strong, data-driven testimony urging the Commission to honor its long-standing pledge and provide meaningful tax relief to homeowners—especially in the wake of unprecedented property-value increases and recent tax hikes. Their perspectives highlighted the interconnected impacts on housing affordability, household stability, and countywide economic competitiveness.

Homeowners and REALTORS® Mobilize: Nearly 300 Messages Sent to County Leadership

Following the Commission’s initial indications of resistance to the full rebate, RAGC launched an aggressive Call for Action urging members and homeowners to voice their concerns.

The response was immediate and powerful:

This outpouring demonstrated unequivocally that residents want—and expect—the County to keep its promise of consistent property tax relief.

A Broken 1997 Promise—Repeated Again in 2026

In 1997, Hamilton County voters approved a sales tax with a clear commitment: a portion of that revenue would be returned to homeowners through a reliable property tax rollback.

Yet nearly three decades later, that promise has been honored only twice.

Instead of giving residents the opportunity to vote on a modest sales-tax adjustment—a more equitable, broad-based funding mechanism—the Commission chose once again to divert the very sales-tax revenue that was promised to homeowners in the first place.

This approach does not solve long-term budget challenges. It merely repeats the cycle of leaning on homeowners whenever political or fiscal pressure mounts.

This Is the Worst Time to Burden Homeowners Further

Hamilton County homeowners are already contending with:

Layering the loss of the 30% rebate on top of these pressures is not only inequitable—it threatens affordability, neighborhood stability, and the region’s competitiveness.

Budget Constraints Are Real—but So Are Better Choices

While Commissioners Driehaus and Summerow Dumas cited budget challenges, the core issue remains: who is asked to shoulder the solution?

Instead of exploring options such as:

…the Commission opted for the most expedient path: placing the burden squarely on homeowners.

A Missed Opportunity—and a Call to Action Moving Forward

Commissioner Alicia Reece showed commendable leadership in advocating for the full 30% rebate and for upholding the County’s promise to its residents.

But this vote makes one thing clear: homeowners must remain engaged, and our advocacy efforts must continue.

RAGC, along with its coalition partners, will persist in pushing for transparent fiscal planning, equitable revenue solutions, and policies that strengthen—not weaken—homeownership in Hamilton County.

Homeowners deserve stability. They deserve fairness. And they deserve leaders willing to uphold the commitments made to them nearly 30 years ago.