Photo by Joselyn King Freshly painted blue and gold center lines greet visitors to the City-County Building in downtown Wheeling.

WHEELING — The Ohio County Assessor’s Office has determined just how much more a school bond levy passed last year by voters will increase 2019 tax bills.

Ohio County Auditor Tiffany Hoffman says a county residents with property valued at $100,000, and assessed at $60,000, will see a tax bill costing them an additional $55 to $60 more this year. Those owning a $200,000 home can expect to pay $110 more; and those with a $300,000 property, an additional $165 to $172.

Figures released by Hoffman give an indication of what bills for an owner-occupied property will be in specific Ohio County communities. These amounts reflect reflect what the cost will be based on a property’s assessed value, which is an amount equal to 60 percent of the appraised value of the property. This taxation rule is established in West Virginia State Code.

∫ Wheeling — Wheeling homeowners will pay taxes of $906 on a residence with an appraised value of $100,000, and last year that amount would have been $851.

The amount this year also goes up to $1,812 for a $200,000 home, and to $2,719 for a $300,000 property. Last year the same home owners paid $1,702 and $2,553, respectively.

∫ Bethlehem — In 2019, the bill for a $100,000 house in Bethlehem will be $885, while it will be $1,770 for a $200,000 home, and $2,655 for a $300,000 residence. Last year, property owners were billed $827, $1,655 and $2,483 at each level.

∫ Clearview — A resident with a $100,000 home living in Clearview will receive an $842 tax bill, when last year’s would have been $785. The bill for a $200,000 home this year will be $1,865 — up from $1,570 for 2018. For a $300,000 home, the tax bill will raise from $2,355 to $2,527.

∫ Triadelphia, Valley and West Liberty — Those in Triadelphia, Valley Grove and West Liberty will be charged $857 for an owner-occupied $100,000 property, compared to last year’s bill of $801.

The price goes up to $1,715 for a $200,000 home, and to $2,572 for a $300,000 property. Last year, those property owners paid $1,602 and $2,403, respectively.

∫ Ohio County — Property owners living outside municipalities in Ohio County will see taxes of $857 on a $100,000 home in 2019, compared to $801 last year. The cost for a $200,000 home will jump from $1,304 to $1,414 on a $200,000 property, and from $1,956 to $2,121 on a $300,000 abode.

Non-owner occupied and rental properties are taxed at double the rate, and Hoffman expects these bills to increase by $110 to $115 for properties valued at $100,000; $220 to $230 for those valued at $200,000; and $330 to $344 for those at the $300,000 level.

On May 8, 2018, Ohio County voters passed a $42.2 million bond issue to improve all school properties within Ohio County Schools. Residents will pay down the bond for the next 15 years, and the money will be put toward $75.5 million in construction projects.

The school district has a commitment from the State School Building Authority for another $27 million in funding, and an additional $6.35 million is expected to be realized through energy-saving improvements that will help defray yearly utility costs for Ohio County Schools.