Board of Education v. Zaino

754 N.E.2d 789, 93 Ohio St. 3d 231
CourtOhio Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 26, 2001
DocketNo. 00-983
StatusPublished
Cited by119 cases

This text of 754 N.E.2d 789 (Board of Education v. Zaino) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Board of Education v. Zaino, 754 N.E.2d 789, 93 Ohio St. 3d 231 (Ohio 2001).

Opinions

Cook, J.

R.C. 3735.65 et seq. allows cities and counties to grant tax exemptions for real property located within a designated Community Reinvestment Area (“CRA”). This case asks whether the Tax Commissioner (“commissioner”) has jurisdiction under R.C. 5715.27(E) to hear a complaint challenging the continued exemption of certain property located in a CRA. The Board of Tax Appeals (“BTA”) answered this question in the negative. But because nothing in R.C. 3735.65 et seq. necessarily undermines the general authority granted to the commissioner under R.C. 5715.27(E), we reverse.

I

Appellee Duke Realty, L.P. (“Duke”) owns real property located within an area of Columbus, Ohio, designated as a CRA. Appellant Board of Education of the Gahanna-Jefferson Local School District (“Gahanna-Jefferson”) filed a complaint with the commissioner under R.C. 5715.27(E), asserting that the property in question no longer qualified for an exemption granted under R.C. 3735.65 et seq. The commissioner dismissed the complaint for lack of jurisdiction, concluding that he lacked the statutory authority to participate in the process of exempting from taxation property located within a CRA.

[232]*232The BTA affirmed the commissioner’s decision, relying almost exclusively on its recent decision in Vandaliar-Butler City School Dist. Bd. of Edn. v. Tracy (Apr. 14, 2000), B.T.A. Nos. 98-M-358 and 98-M-359, unreported. Although the BTA acknowledged that Gahanna-Jefferson “ ‘may have a remedy by appeal to a court of common pleas’ ” under R.C. 3735.70, it found “ ‘no reference within R.C. 3735.67 et seq. which directs the commissioner to administer the incentives permitted to CRA’s,’ ” quoting Vandaliar-Butler. Accordingly, the BTA found that the commissioner lacked jurisdiction to hear Gahanna-Jefferson’s complaint against the continued exemption of Duke’s property.

The cause is now before this court upon an appeal as of right.

II

When reviewing an appeal from the BTA, we must ascertain whether the BTA’s decision is reasonable and lawful. Columbus City School Dist. Bd. of Edn. v. Zaino (2001), 90 Ohio St.3d 496, 497, 739 N.E.2d 783, 785. Although we will generally not disturb the BTA’s determinations on the weight of evidence and credibility of witnesses, we will not hesitate to reverse a BTA decision that is based on an incorrect legal conclusion. See SFZ Transp., Inc. v. Limbach (1993), 66 Ohio St.3d 602, 604, 613 N.E.2d 1037, 1039. In this case, we must decide whether the BTA correctly interpreted R.C. 3735.65 et seq. as depriving the commissioner of jurisdiction over a complaint filed under R.C. 5715.27(E) that seeks revocation of a tax exemption for property in a CRA.

R.C. 3735.65 et seq.

In R.C. 3735.65 et seq., the. General Assembly has instituted a property tax incentive program that promotes the construction and remodeling of commercial, industrial, and residential structures in CRAs. Before property may be exempted from taxation under this program, the legislative authority of a municipality or county must adopt resolutions designating the boundaries of a CRA. R.C. 3735.66.1 The legislative authority must also designate a housing officer to administer the CRA program. Id. New or remodeled residential, commercial, or industrial property located within a CRA is eligible for a partial or total tax exemption. Id.

To obtain an exemption for. new or remodeled property located in a CRA, the owner must file an application with the housing officer designated by the legislative authority. R.C. 3735.67. If the property is commercial or industrial, the legislative authority and the owner must also enter into a written agreement [233]*233before new construction begins. R.C. 3735.67(A) and 3735.671(A). Unless certain conditions in R.C. 3735.671(A)(2) or (A)(3) apply, the school board must be notified of the exemption and, in the case of commercial or industrial property, must approve the written agreement between the legislative authority and the owner. R.C. 3735.67(A) and 3735.671(A)(1). After the housing officer has determined that all the requirements for an exemption have been met, he or she forwards the application to the county auditor with information regarding the percentage and duration of the exemption. R.C. 3735.67(C).

Besides the authority granted by R.C. 3735.67, the housing officer also has the power to revoke a CRA exemption after the first year if “the housing officer finds that the property has not been properly maintained or repaired due to the neglect of the owner.” R.C. 3735.68. In addition, if the property is commercial or industrial, the legislative authority of the county or municipality may revoke the exemption if it finds that (1) the owner “has materially failed to fulfill its obligations” under the written agreement entered into pursuant to section R.C. 3735.671 or (2) the owner violated R.C. 3735.671(E).2 Id.

The CRA statutory scheme also contains an appeals process. R.C. 3735.70 allows “[a]ny person aggrieved under sections 3735.65 to 3735.69 of the Revised Code” to appeal to the CRA housing council, an administrative body appointed by local authorities under R.C. 3735.69. R.C. 3735.70 also provides for further appeals “from a decision of the council to the court of common pleas of the county where the area is located.”

R.C. 5715.27

In contrast to R.C. 3735.65 et seq.’s specific applicability to tax exemptions for property in a CRA, R.C. 5715.27 is a general statute relating to the granting and revoking of exemptions from real property taxes. The statute allows property owners to file applications for tax exemption with the commissioner, who must then notify the boards of education of these applications if requested to do so. See R.C. 5715.27(A) and (B). A board of education may then “file a statement with thé commissioner * * * indicating its intent to submit evidence and participate in any hearing on the application.” R.C. 5715.27(C). The commissioner may not act on the application for exemption before the board of education’s deadline for submitting this statement unless certain statutory exceptions apply. R.C. 5715.27(D).

[234]*234One of these exceptions in R.C. 5715.27(D) expressly refers to a CRA exemption statute. At the property owner’s request, the commissioner may act upon an exemption application prior to the date specified in R.C. 5715.27(C) “in the case of exemptions authorized by section 725.02, 1728.10, 3735.67, 5709.41, 5709.62, or 5709.63 of the Revised Code.” (Emphasis added.) R.C. 5715.27(D). Thus, even though R.C. 3735.65 et seq. does not mention the commissioner, R.C. 5715.27(D) contemplates some involvement by the commissioner in the process of exempting CRA property from taxation.

R.C. 5715.27 also contemplates commissioner involvement in a decision to revoke a property tax exemption. R.C. 5715.27(E) provides that “[a] complaint may also be filed with the commissioner by any person, board, or officer authorized by section 5715.19 of the Revised Code to file complaints with the county board of revision against the continued exception of any property.” (Emphasis added.) . R.C.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
754 N.E.2d 789, 93 Ohio St. 3d 231, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/board-of-education-v-zaino-ohio-2001.