MOUNT VERNON — The amount the Mount Vernon School district expects to generate from filing complaints and countercomplaints on properties will vary depending on when the complaints are settled.

The district filed 34 complaints in 2009, stating the appraised values are not as high as they should be. In 2010, the district filed another 19 complaints. The higher the appraised values are, the more will be paid in property taxes, and the more money the school district will receive.

The district has also filed countercomplaints, which appeal a taxpayer who tries to get a reduction in the appraised value. According to Barb Donohue, treasurer for the school district, 650 taxpayer complaints were filed last year.

The 34 cases filed in 2009 are pending with the Board of Tax Appeals in Columbus.

On Tuesday, Donohue said the district expected to generate $200,000 over a three-year period on the 34 cases, and $230,000 when the countercomplaints are included. Wednesday, she clarified those numbers.

“It depends on when the BTA cases are settled,” she said. “If they are settled in 2010, the district will receive $115,000; if they’re not settled until 2011, it will be $159,000, and if they’re not settled until 2012, it will be $206,000.”

If both types of cases are not settled until 2012, she said, the district would receive $226,000.

The 19 cases filed this year are awaiting hearings by the Knox County Board of Revision. Donohue said these cases will be appraised at 90 percent or 91 percent once they are adjusted by the Knox County auditor.

“Some were at 45 percent,” she said.

The Board of Revision used to be comprised of the county auditor, county treasurer and president of the county board of commissioners.

“That law has changed,” said Bob Wise, president of the Knox County Board of Commissioners. “Now it just says ‘a commissioner.’ We took turns on the board this time, just to share it.”

Most of the complaints filed by the district were on commercial properties.

“I can’t believe that the school wants to upset the business people who are trying to buy assets and grow and make jobs,” said Wise. “This is what our community needs, this kind of growth.”

Wise said actions such as the school district filing complaints have “a tendency to scare business people from growing their business, which includes hiring people and promoting growth here at home.”

Commissioner Allen Stockberger agreed.

“I think what they are doing, while legal, and they may win, I question whether it’s a good decision in the long run,” he said. “I think it’s offensive to the taxpayers in the district, because they are the same people they are going to come back to and ask for a tax issue. I think the only ones who are winning are the lawyers in Columbus.”

Property reappraisals are done every six years, with an update done every three years. Home sales drive these appraisal values. However, only what are called arm’s length sales — sales where there is a willing buyer and a willing seller — are included when considering home sales. Distressed sales such as foreclosures or sheriff auction sales are not included.

One businessman affected by the 2010 filings is Jay Maners of Ohio Rental, who had planned to contest the board’s filing on his property.

“Because of new information, it appears that mine was misfiled, and it was actually a distress sale, which just cost the school board and the county money to pursue that,” he said.

Donohue said the school district uses the law firm Gillis & Rich in Columbus to handle the complaint filings. She said this is the same law firm previously used by the county until the school board hired it.

She said that from 2003-09 the district spent $71,000 with the law firm. That number includes payment for handling the complaints as well as other filings for the school board. From 2009-10, the district has spent $41,000 on filings.

Donohue said the district has filed complaints when it believes the appraised value is too high. It filed one complaint this year, and three complaints two years ago.

“But it doesn’t happen too often that sales are lower than what they are valued,” she said.

Jessica Busenburg, treasurer for East Knox Local Schools, said there have been several tax complaints filed by property owners over the past two years, but the district has not requested any properties be reviewed. The district did dispute one complaint filed by a taxpayer.

Centerburg schools treasurer Ellen Scott said Centerburg has not requested any reviews. No response was received from the Fredericktown and Danville districts.