About a third of Valley homeowners saw a recent increase in their property values. While that may sound like good news, it brings with it an increase in property taxes.

Members of the County Auditors Association of Ohio (CAAO) are hoping to jumpstart tax relief efforts across Ohio to lessen the financial burden, presenting their findings and legislative proposals to state lawmakers at a property tax relief briefing Friday morning.

Mahoning County Auditor and Northeast District CAAO president Ralph Meacham tells 21 News that home values have drastically changed within the past decade, which in some cases, can mean a homeowner's residence is no longer affordable to continue living in.

"The last couple years we've had astronomical increases in our assessments," Meacham elaborated. "Last year, Mahoning County was hit with a 38% increase in residential values."

He adds, solving the problem is one that requires changes in tax policy, which he feels have been left unaddressed by Ohio's congress.

"In the last general assembly, they did not pass any bills pertaining to property tax. In fact they only passed 12 in the whole year- the fewest since 1964."

The CAAO group's proposals include improving Homestead Exemptions, expanding Owner Occupancy credits and the creation of new laws around taxing for school districts.

State senator Al Cutrona (R-District 33) said he feels strongly that current homestead exemptions are not doing enough to lessen the financial burden of long-term homeownership for the Valley's aging population.

Cutrona added that he is currently preparing a bill that would significantly change the existing policy.

"My goal is to give a massive reduction of 50% off of a tax liability for those 65 and older," the state senator noted. "So that's still in the works, we're trying to work out the kinks on it before we introduce it."

Meacham tells 21 News he hopes Ohio's congress will also turn their attention to the "20-Mill Floor" for schools, which guarantees school districts receive a minimum of 20 mills of taxes, as well as unvoted millage.

"The voters should be informed," he said. "They should be informed of what they're voting for. They should be informed of what the school boards are doing, and they should be concerned with who is on the school board."