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State Representative Jim Buchy
Tax Relief for
Ohio’s Non-Profit Veterans and Fraternal Organizations
Two years ago we provided a property tax exemption in Ohio law for
veterans and fraternals but bureaucrats in the tax department failed to
recognize space used by such organizations for the not-for-profit
service of the organizational members.
In this biennial budget which we passed in June we included a provision
that further outlines the intention of the legislature to provide that
exemption to the space dedicated to not-for-profit educational and
health related work of the veterans and fraternals for health and
education purposes.
An example of space used for not-for-profit work by a fraternal
organization is Masonic learning centers. These learning centers take
place in Masonic halls and have accomplished incredible feats in
helping local children overcome dyslexia.
Dyslexia is a processing disorder that results in difficulties reading
and writing. One in five people suffer from the disorder, and the
Masonic learning centers have had the best results overcoming it, even
trumping our education system. These centers though were still being
taxed unjustly up until recently.
Locally we have an example of this issue in Dayton where our local
Masonic learning center is operated in the building that has been
classified as tax exempt aside from the portion with the learning
center. This location was established in 1999 and belongs to a family
of tutoring centers ran by a not-for-profit organization Learning
Centers for Children INC. Since its opening the center has graduated
270 students and assisted an estimated 380.
Although the center has yielded great results more than 70 western Ohio
kids sit on a waiting list of up to 2.5 years today. This alarming fact
makes the need for a break on property taxes even more crucial as that
money could go to helping more students in our communities who struggle
with dyslexia.
Under this new law, real estate held or occupied by a fraternal
organization and used primarily for meetings of and the administration
of the fraternal organization or for the providing, on a not-for-profit
basis, educational or health services shall not have property tax. This
new measure intends to help the not for profits re-invest that money
into better services for those in need.
It is important to treat groups and organizations that do so much for
our community justly. Making this adjustment in the Ohio Revised
Code is common sense governing.
Please give me your opinion on this topic and others in the news this
month by completing an online survey at tinyurl.com/buchyaugust2015.
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