Understanding property taxes

  The first round of 2015-2016 Butler County property taxes, 50 percent of this year's total bill, is coming due Sept. 30.
  Whether and how the overall tax bill moves depends on how the various levies balance. The various levies, voted on by all the taxing jurisdictions, form the consolidated tax rate. Taxing jurisdictions include Butler County (plus rural services levy where applicable), the cities, the K-12 school districts, the community colleges (vocational schools), and townships, which tax for cemetery, fire and emergency services.
  Another factor that can affect the property tax bill is whether and how the assessed valuation of each property moved in assessment year 2014, compared with 2013.
  Hear what caused some value assessments to change, various city plus school tax rates for different areas in Butler County, plus the most popular tax credits, according to the Butler County Auditor's Office, in the Aug. 27 Butler County Tribune-Journal and Clarksville Star.