As we enter the height of summer, the Franklin County Fair is upon us and your Franklin County Auditor’s office is there, inspecting scales and scanners that will be used in competitions, sales and auctions to verify their accuracy. We're also staffing a booth with information on all of our office’s helpful initiatives. 

In the past month alone we’ve staffed booths at The Cultural Wall Music Festival, the City of Gahanna Market, the Reeb Avenue Center’s July 4^th Community Cookout, Summer Jam Westgate, the Edgewood Acres Street Festival, the Hilltop Bean Dinner, and more than a dozen of other events across the county.

Together with my weekly Community Hours meetings, the events are a way we can increase Auditor’s office accessibility for the people of Franklin County. If you have suggestions on events that the Auditor’s office should attend, I encourage you to contact me at (614) 525-5700, or at AuditorStinziano@franklincountyohio.gov.  

Franklin County Fiscal Report Unveiled

The Franklin County Auditor’s Office has released the Franklin County Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR). This Report contains an overview of the county’s finances and is accessible online here.

In 2018, Franklin County had a per capita income of $52,315, a median age of 34 years, and an average unemployment rate of 3.8% (which is below the national and state average). The county also boasted a diversified business sector with top employers representing education, finance, government, health care, retail, and trade. The county’s top employer was The Ohio State University. Franklin County had a total revenue of $1,283,265 from governmental activities and a total expenditure of $1,246,793.

Fewer Dogs Lost After July 4^th Celebration

The number of dogs lost after the July 4^th fireworks celebration declined from 113 last year to about 100 this year, the Franklin County Dog Shelter has reported. The Auditor’s office offered pet safety tips before the festivities to help residents keep their canine companions safe. Chief among them: owners should make sure their dogs are licensed and that their information is up to date. Dogs that are licensed are held at the Shelter for 2 weeks, versus 3 days if not licensed or microchipped.

Other tips included making sure owners had a photo of their dog, leaving a dog home if going to a fireworks show, and encouraging dog owners with lost dogs to visit the Auditor’s office website to post information on our Dog eBulletin Board for everyone to see.  

The Auditor’s office continues to work to increase the number of licensed dogs in Franklin County by making licensing easily available at events throughout the county and online at the Auditor’s office website. 

New Stickers being affixed at gas stations across the county

A new sticker is being affixed to most gas pumps in the county notifying consumers of the tax rates they are being charged, Auditor Stinziano announced this month.

The stickers are required by the recently-passed state transportation budget, which also raised the state tax on gasoline by 10.5 cents per gallon on July 1. The diesel fuel tax increased by 19 cents per gallon. Proceeds from the fuel tax are used to maintain and upgrade Ohio’s roads and bridges.

“These stickers are another informational tool that will benefit consumers. It increases the transparency of fuel prices for Franklin County residents,” Stinziano said. 

The approximately four-inch by four-inch stickers will show a breakdown of state, local and federal taxes that are being levied on gasoline and diesel fuels, along with the total tax amount.  They are being created by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, per the new law, and will be distributed and affixed by the Auditor’s office.

They will be installed during routine inspections conducted by Auditor’s office Weights and Measures Staff. All stickers are required to be displayed on fuel pumps within 90 days.

Auction of Forfeited Property to be held this August

The Auditor’s office will hold a public auction in August of properties that have been forfeited because of the failure to pay real estate taxes. The auction, which is held annually, will begin Aug. 27 at 9 a.m. in the auditorium on the first floor of the Franklin County Courthouse, 373 S. High Street.

The listing of all available properties can be viewed on the Auditor’s office website, where potential bidders can also pre-register for the auction online from July 22^nd through Aug. 22^nd. Bidders can also register the day of the auction at the clerk’s table.

The Auditor’s office strongly recommends that each prospective buyer contact a real estate attorney and/or title company before purchase, as all sales are “buyer-beware.”

For more information about the auction, visit the Auditor’s office website.

Community Hours

Franklin County Auditor Michael Stinziano continues to hold weekly Community Hours meetings where residents can stop by and visit and share firsthand their feedback and ideas about the auditor’s office or any concerns they have.

The meetings continue a practice Stinziano has done since he was first elected to office. Community Hours will be held at the dates and locations listed below.

For additional dates and times, visit the Auditor’s website.

Saturday, August 3^rd 11:30am-1:00pm

Linden Library (2223 Cleveland Ave, Columbus, OH)

Thursday, August 8^th 11:30am-1:00pm

Northside Library (1423 N High St, Columbus, OH)

Friday, August 16th 12:00pm-1:30pm

Graeter’s Ice Cream (2136 Bethel Rd, Columbus, OH)  

Wednesday, August 21^st 10:00am-11:30am

Hilltop Library (511 S Hague Ave, Columbus, OH) 

Tuesday, August 27^th 3:00pm-4:30pm

Transcend Coffee + Roastery (4050 Broadway, Grove City, OH)