Blog - Finney Law Firm

What should I expect with Ohio property tax abatements?

By Christopher P. FinneyNovember 24, 2024

We have gotten calls from property owners inquiring about how their municipal property tax abatement should work.

The inquiries usually commence with a misunderstanding that an exemption (typically a 100% exemption on improvements for some period of time) means that the owner will never pay taxes on an assessed value for more than that in place at the time the abatement commenced. This is not so.

The Ohio statute that empowers municipalities to provide property tax abatements is Revised Code Section 3735.67.

Section (A) of that statute allows an abatement “of a percentage of the assessed valuation of a new structure, or of the increased assessed valuation of an existing structure after remodeling began.” So, two things there: (a) the assessment is not on the land value and (b) the abatement is not for a specific amount of the cost of the improvements at the time they are built, but “a percentage of the assessed valuation of ” those improvements. Therefore, at the commencement of the abatement, the County Auditor needs to assess the value the improvements added to the property as a percentage of the value of the improvements. And as the abatement period rolls forward, to apply that percentage on the improvement value.

In ensuing triennial reassessments by the County Auditor, he should then calculate separately the value of the land and the value of the improvements for every parcel in the County. As to the abated parcel, that initial percentage attributable to the value of the abatements (as a percentage of the improvement number) should be abated (either at 100% or whatever percentage of the abatement as was initially agreed or granted) The land value along with the new value of the unabated percentage of the improvements would be subject to taxation.

The reason taxpayers are inquiring (or one of the reasons) is that our upwardly-dynamic housing market (and in some cases commercial market) since the COVID pandemic means that over the three-years of the triennial, some neighborhoods are seeing cumulative valuation hikes overall of 50% or more. Even if the abatement is properly included in the tax bill calculations, when compared to the initial pre-abatement valuation, some taxpayers assume “there must have been some mistake” in calculating that abatement. Sometimes there is a mistake, many times there is not — or not enough of a mistake to wade into the adjustment process to make it worthwhile.

It’s fairly easy to calculate the abatement that is due with entirely new construction: If that abatement is 100% of increased improvement valuation for a period of time, during that interval, only the land would be taxes, and even that land value will (may) go up in valuation over time.

But calculating the abatement due to renovations are more complicated.

In the case of a renovation the calculation of what is abated: “it’s complicated.” Imagine a property with an initial $100,000 in land value and $400,000 in building value before the renovation. And to that existing structure, the owner adds a building addition along with a kitchen and two-bathroom do-over. The total improvements to the property cost $200,000.

Three years later, the Auditor makes a new triennial valuation of the property, assessing the land at $250,000, and the building (before abatement) at $750,000, for a total valuation before considering abatement of $1,000,000. What amount of the valuation should be abated?

The proper calculation would consider that the improvements are 33.3% abated ($200,000 of improvements are 33.3% of the $600,000 value of the improvements at the time they were made [$400,000 in initial value + $200,000 of improvements] [these numbers assume these were the correct “value of these respective improvements at that time.]) Thus, the land value is now $250,000 and two-thirds of the improvement value would be $500,000, for a total post-assessment taxable valuation of $750,000.

Now, one client who recently called said “wait a minute, the percentage of increase in the land valuation exceeded the percentage of increase in the building valuation.” From a purely mathematical perspective, that is correct in the foregoing example: 250% increase in land valuation versus a 25% increase in the improvement valuation. I get it. But as we walked thru the land valuation issues given the dynamic marketplace, the land valuation was not wrong.

The County Auditor is charged with independently determining these components of value — it’s one of the prerogatives of the elective office. The taxpayer can challenge these valuations before the County Board of Revision, but the challenge cannot be based upon the relative valuation differences of land versus building. The percentage increases do not need to track one another.

In short, there are three take-aways on Ohio tax abatement valuation questions:

Do not enter into a tax-abated transaction with the assumption that the taxable valuation will never increase over the term of the abatement period. This is foundationally incorrect.
Land value for all abated transactions can adjust each triennial for both new construction and renovations.
Throughout the abatement period, the amount of the unabated improvement portion of a renovation should track the percentage of valuation of the unabated improvements versus the abated work at the time the work was concluded, and that percentage should remain consistent throughout the abatement period.

If you have tax abatement questions, Finney Law Firm team members Eli Krafte-Jacobs (513.797.2853), J. Andrew Gray (513.943.6658) or Casey Jones (513.943.5673) who are each familiar with tax abatement issues.

Finney Law Firm welcomes new attorney Ashley Duckworth

By Christopher P. FinneyNovember 7, 2024

Finney Law Firm is pleased to announce the addition of Ashley Duckworth as our newest associate attorney. Ashley joins the firm’s litigation group, primarily handling real estate and commercial law disputes.

Ashley graduated in the spring from Salmon P. Chase College of Law and just recently passed the Ohio Bar Examination. The firm and many of its clients have gotten to know Ashley through her clerkship for the past 15 months.

Ashley graduated from Western Kentucky University in 2021 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication.

Finney Law Firm opens its office in downtown Cincinnati

By Christopher P. FinneyOctober 27, 2024November 7, 2024

Exterior photo on the downtown Cincinnati location

Finney Law Firm and Ivy Pointe Title have opened their office in downtown Cincinnati at 635 Main. For us, this has been a much-anticipated and long-awaited development. This office replaces our Mt. Adams office on Celestial Street in the historic Rookwood Pottery Building. We hope you enjoy this new office as much as we have enjoyed crafting it.

Why downtown? First, this office joins a post-COVID resurgence for downtown, which is seeing a return of office workers, a huge growth in residential development and a host of new hotels and restaurants, bars and other entertainment venues. Second, many of our major corporate clients are downtown-based and some are downtown-focused. Third, the office is located strategically just one block north of the Potter Stewart U.S. Courthouse (which houses the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals) and three blocks immediately south of the Hamilton County Courthouse. Ample parking surrounds the new facility.

We are jazzed about our ability to revive an historic 150-year-old building into a sparkling new facility, with energy-efficient HVAC and lighting, and cutting-edge smart technology throughout. In this revival, we have retained many of the original historic features of the building. We hope you come by for a closing, a deposition, a mediation or a meeting with our attorneys and staff.

The project took the best of our creativity (I know, I know, we are attorneys) and resources, partnering with a host of talented consultants, architects, designers, and contractors. (I learned so much by doing this project and am glad to share my experiences as well as our list of consultants, contractors and materials that have made it a rousing success). We combined a smart initial purchase of the property with federal and state historic tax credits and City of Cincinnati residential and commercial tax abatements. My transactional team handled the tax details and legally divided the building into three condominiums, our office and two residential condos.

Many have asked me: How was City Hall to deal with on this project? I can say without exception that each City department with which we dealt has been exceptionally prompt and professional: Historic Conservation, the Building Department, the Economic Development Department, and even the Mayor and City Council.

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Thanks to our loyal clients while we completed this master work, to my attorneys and staff who were endlessly patient while I got it finished, and to our whole design and construction team who endured my endless questions, prompts and concerns, while each providing exceptional products and services. You simply would not believe the hard work, long hours and creativity needed to bring this project to fruition by our design and construction team members.

FLF wins million-dollar racial discrimination verdict for job applicant

By Stephen E. ImmSeptember 10, 2024

On August 30, a federal jury in Indianapolis returned a verdict totaling $1,090,000 for an unsuccessful job applicant represented by Steve Imm and Diana Emerson of the Finney Law Firm. The applicant, Cory Lange, had sued the Anchor Glass Container Corporation for denying him employment in 2018. The case went all the way up to the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago before being remanded to the District Court for trial last month.

Mr. Lange alleged that he was turned down for employment by Anchor because of his race, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The company originally claimed that it rejected Mr. Lange because of a felony conviction he had in 2009, but the evidence showed that the company had hired several other people who had significant criminal records, but who were of a different race than Mr. Lange. Also of key importance was the fact that, over time, the company had significantly changed its justification for not hiring Mr. Lange. This evidence permitted the jury to reasonably infer that the true reason for Mr. Lange’s rejection was his race.

Upon finding that Mr. Lange had proved his case for discrimination, the jury proceeded to award him $90,000 for mental suffering and $1,000,000 in punitive damages. The punitive award reflected the jury’s finding that the company had acted in reckless disregard of Mr. Lange’s rights.

The court will hold further proceedings to determine if Mr. Lange should receive additional damages for lost back pay and lost front pay, as well as attorney’s fees.

The case serves as an important reminder that the employment discrimination laws apply at ALL phases of the employment relationship, not just when someone is discharged.

Audio recordings of client and customer interactions

By Christopher P. FinneyAugust 22, 2024

In today’s digital age, one should almost expect that all personal interactions and appearances in public places are being recorded. In fact, there are apps for cell phones that automatically record every single phone call. In some ways, it seems creepy. In others the question would be: if you are doing nothing wrong, what do you have to fear? Personally, I see it as creepy and I don’t like it.

However, Ohio is a “one party” state as it relates to recording interactions. As such, it is legal for one party to a conversation to record that conversation, even if the other party is not aware of the recording.

We have learned through our law practice that clients, opposing counsel and opposing parties frequently are making recordings of interactions, on the phone and in personal meetings.

From my perspective, if I know I am being recorded, I likely would be more cautious and more guarded in what I say. In some instances, I would limit my interactions with that person entirely, or make sure communications are all in writing.

As a result, we have added a provision to our client fee agreements requiring clients to tell us if they are recording interactions with our office. If they fail to notify us of those recordings, they cannot later use those recordings against us.

I recently shared the fact that this is part of our standard engagement letter with a class of Realtors, and was asked by 9 participants for that form language to include in their own agency agreements. So, I thought I would share that language here on this blog as well. Feel free to make use of it as it suits your practice.

Audio and Video Recordings with this Firm

We will never make an audio or video recording of any communication with you or any third party. We occasionally have clients who either want to make an audio and/or video recording of a call or meeting with us. In the event that you choose to make an audio or video recording or any interaction with us, we require that you disclose each such instance to us in advance in writing. If you fail to disclose any such recording, (a) it will be a material breach of this agreement, (b) it will be the basis for termination of the relationship by this firm and (c) you agree not to use that recording in any proceeding relating to our representation.

It’s a dangerous world out there. Proceed with caution.

What do all of these contingencies mean? Strategies for buying a home in a competitive market without abandoning all reason

By Casey A. JonesAugust 11, 2024August 11, 2024

With interest rates dropping, the housing market is becoming even more saturated with buyers. Practically speaking, that means that buying a home has, once again, become super competitive and provisions that were once a “given” in Contracts to Purchase are now being eliminated in favor of making the offer more appealing to sellers, including the removal of financing, appraisal, and inspection contingencies.

But what is not always understood is what happens if these contingencies are removed and things go south.

I have had at least three clients or potential clients call me in the past month with varying levels of “buyers’ remorse.” Either they had simply changed their minds, or they had agreed to waive the inspection contingency altogether, or they had agreed to pay significantly more than the property’s appraised value – and, now, they wanted to walk away. Each of these clients were under the understandable, but mistaken belief that they could simply forfeit their earnest money and everyone would go their separate ways. Unfortunately, it is not so simple.

Financing Contingency

This contingency allows you to justifiably terminate a Contract if you are unable to obtain financing. If you are getting a loan/outside financing (versus paying cash for the property), you NEED to keep this contingency. This protects you in the event you lose your job, or experience a significant change in your income or financial situation. Buyers are generally required, however, to apply for financing within a set number of days and to act in good faith in attempting to obtain financing. In other words, if you experience a change of heart, ghosting your lender so that they deny your financing is likely not a feasible strategy.

Appraisal Contingency

We most often see this contingency removed in cash purchase situations. When using outside financing, your lender will almost certainly require that the home appraise for the purchase price or for the purchase price less the amount you are planning to put “down” (i.e., pay out of pocket at closing). Buyers (in both cash and financed transactions) sometimes add provisions that they will pay $“x” or “x”% over the appraised value to make their offer more competitive. What this means is that the Buyer agrees to bring the difference between the appraised value and amount for which the property was required to appraise to closing. If this contingency is removed entirely or amended to allow for a certain amount above the appraised value, the buyer may be contractually obligated to pay significantly more than the fair market value of the home, resulting in a negative equity situation.

Inspection Contingency/”As-Is” Purchase

Removal of the inspection contingency is, by far, the most popular among buyers seeking to make their offers more competitive. This can be done in a few ways: 1) designating the purchase “as-is” or stating that inspections are for “informational purposes only,” 2) forfeiting the right to terminate based on inspections, and 3) waiving inspections altogether.

An as-is purchase does not necessarily mean that you waive inspections. It can also mean that you are performing inspections but that you will not seek repairs or a price reduction from the seller based on what you may find during inspections (or that you will only seek repairs/a reduction based on defects or conditions estimated above a certain dollar value). Under an “as-is” purchase or when inspections are for “informational purposes only,” you can still maintain the right to terminate based on the inspections. However, the contract language should be clear as to what is intended as the above terminology can be somewhat ambiguous.

The inverse of No. 1 above, buyers sometimes agree that they will perform inspections but they will not terminate based on the inspections. Instead, they will allow the seller the opportunity to “fix” any defective conditions. Candidly, this can create a whole host of issues. For example, what happens if there is a dispute between seller and buyer as to whether the issue was fixed or fixed properly? What if the seller refuses to drop the price or fix a condition, or disagrees that it is defective? Under a prototypical inspection contingency, the buyer could terminate in this situation (i.e., where no agreement can be reached between the parties) but, here, the buyer has ostensibly forfeited its right to terminate. While there could be defenses to the enforceability of such forfeiture, it could also be quite expensive to litigate that issue to conclusion.

Finally, buyers in a competitive market often waive inspections altogether. This means they will not perform any due diligence as to the physical condition of the property. While this can allow for a faster closing and obviously sounds great to the seller, it is very risky if things go awry. Under such circumstance, the buyer will have essentially no recourse if they discover a defect after closing, the exception to this harsh result being if they can prove that (a) the seller knew about the defect, (b) the buyer did not know about the defect, (c) the defect would not have been discovered had the buyer performed reasonable inspections (e., it was a “latent” defect and not an open and obvious one), (d) the seller did not disclose the defect on the Residential Property Disclosure Form or otherwise misrepresented the same, and (e) the buyer suffered damages as a result. These are the elements of a cause of action for fraud and are not easily proven. Further, unless the cost of remedying the defect is at least $30-40,000+, it is often not financially worthwhile to pursue given the legal/expert fees and expenses. A buyer can seek reimbursement for its attorney’s fees upon satisfying the elements of fraud, but such reimbursement can never be fully guaranteed.

As noted above, there are a number of ways that each of these contingencies can be crafted, limited, or even removed and the resulting implications can vary widely. This is why it is so critical to consult with an attorney before agreeing to deviate from standard language. If you are found to be in breach of the contract or decide to “walk away” without legally adequate justification, your liability is often not limited to your earnest money – in fact, it can add up to tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars.

There are other options and terms that can be included in an offer to “sweeten the deal” for sellers and help get your offer noticed, even in a competitive market, without jeopardizing the rights and protections that are so vital to buyers.

We can help make sure you understand the potential consequences of the contract language and even draft or revise an offer to make sure you are protected, whether you are working with an agent or purchasing a home on your own. Making a competitive offer does not have to mean taking on substantial additional risk.

Please reach out to Casey A. Jones, Esq. at [email protected] or (513) 943-5673 for assistance.

Another win for our employment law group at federal 6th Circuit Court of Appeals

By Matthew S. OkiishiAugust 11, 2024August 11, 2024

On August 9, 2024, a panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit held for a former public employee Eric Noble, represented by Matt Okiishi of our Employment Law group, that his posting of a meme critical of a well-known protest movement while on his private time was “protected speech” under the First Amendment.

While the public employer asserted that it terminated Mr. Noble because it “anticipated disruption,” the panel determined that this belief failed to be “objectively reasonable.” The panel also noted that the public employer’s decision to engage in the same debate as Mr. Noble cast “doubt on its motive for firing him,” undercut its interest in maintaining workplace harmony, and violated the First Amendment’s prohibition against allowing “one side of a debate from using the government to cancel the other side.”

The panel concluded that because Mr. Noble was terminated in retaliation for exercising his First Amendment speech rights, and prior precedent “does not give the Library carte balance to take away Mr. Noble’s means of livelihood based on his speech,” he was entitled to summary judgment in his favor. A copy of the decision in the case styled Eric Noble v. Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library, et al. is linked here.

The Court has recommended this victory for full publication, signifying that it views the case as one of great importance and significance. This victory also comes just three years after another free speech victory by our firm, Barger v. United Bhd. of Carpenters & Joiners of Am., 3 F.4th 254 (6th Cir. 2021) (discussed here).

Rebecca Simpson adds mediation services to Finney Law Firm’s offerings

By Christopher P. FinneyApril 25, 2024

Finney Law Firm announces that attorney Rebecca Simpson is expanding her practice to offer mediation services. Rebecca has decades of diverse litigation and advocacy experience, and believes that even the most difficult conflicts can be resolved through strategic, amicable, problem-solving negotiations. This can result in faster, less expensive and more satisfactory results for clients.

Rebecca’s experience includes employment (representing both employers and employees), commercial, real estate and public interest litigation, as well as zoning, land use and other administrative and legislative matters at the state and local level. Click here to see Rebecca’s bio.

As a mediator, Rebecca will leverage her years of experience in these areas to assist you and your client in exploring efficient and effective resolutions to what could otherwise be lengthy, expensive litigation with uncertain results.

If you believe that Rebecca can be of assistance to you and your client, or if you’d just like to learn more about her mediation practice, you can contact her at [email protected] or at 513-703-6227.

Employment Law Update: Department of Labor Increases Salary Threshold for Overtime Exemptions

By Matthew S. OkiishiApril 25, 2024

On April 23, 2024, the Department of Labor announced a final rule increasing the salary threshold for the overtime exemption of administrative, executive, and professional employees. Beginning on July 1, 2024, the salary threshold will increase from $35,568 to $43,888 per year. The threshold will again increase to $58,656 per year on January 1, 2025. The DOL plans to review these thresholds in 2027 and every three years thereafter to determine additional increases.

The highly compensated employee threshold for overtime exemption is also increasing from $107,432 to $132,964 after July 1, 2024 and $151,164 after January 1, 2025.

Assuming the rule passes constitutional muster, employers who pay salaries below the prescribed thresholds may find themselves liable for overtime, additional damages, and attorney fees if the employee works over 40 hours in a week, even if the employee would otherwise be considered exempt from the overtime requirements. To protect against this, employers should engage competent legal professionals to audit their time records, job duties, and salary levels to ensure compliance with the new rule before January 1, 2025.

Employment Law Update: New Federal Trade Commission Rule Bans Noncompete Agreements

By Matthew S. OkiishiApril 25, 2024

On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) released its long-awaited rule concerning the validity of employee noncompete agreements. Following its effective date (projected to be 120 days after April 23, noncompete agreements will be considered a restraint of trade except where they are executed in connection with the sale of a business.

All existing noncompete agreements, with the exception of those signed by “senior executives” (defined as policy-making employees earning at least $151,164 in annual compensation) in existence prior to the rule’s effective date, will retroactively become unenforceable, and they will not be permitted going forward.

The rule does not apply to noncompete agreements that were breached prior to the effective date. So cases currently in court over an alleged breach are not affected by the new rule.

The new FTC rule will also impose an affirmative duty on all employers with existing noncompete agreements to notify workers that those agreements are no longer in effect by the effective date. Because the duty to notify is triggered at the rule’s effective date, employers should make arrangements to ensure compliance with the new rule.

There will likely be legal challenges to the FTC’s authority to make this Rule, so stay tuned. But if it survives it will be a true game changer for American workers.

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