In a decisive legislative move, Cuyahoga County Treasurer Brad Cromes announces the approval of House Bill 496, setting a new precedent in Ohio's approach to delinquent property tax laws. As reported by the Cuyahoga County government's official communication, the bill, signed into law by Governor DeWine, introduces measures to prevent individuals or entities with outstanding property taxes from grabbing more properties at tax foreclosure sales. Championed by a bipartisan group of legislators, Senate Bill 186's core provision has been incorporated into the newly passed House Bill 496 during Ohio's General Assembly's Lame Duck session.

Hailing from his dual role as the President of the County Treasurers Association of Ohio and the local authority figure, Cromes expressed his satisfaction with the legislation, "This is a big deal for Cuyahoga County," and as he told Cuyahoga County news. Emphasizing the routine abuse of the previous law, Cromes added, "Locally and across the state, there are bad actors who purposefully and knowingly buy and sell tax delinquent properties over and over again for a profit without ever paying the back taxes already owed." Before Bill 496's enactment, Ohio law did not explicitly forbid those in debt to the county from acquiring properties at Sheriff's sales.

Kevin Futryk, the Executive Director of the County Treasurers Association of Ohio, underscored the bill's critical role. "This fix to Ohio law has been one of our members' top legislative priorities for the last two years," he stated in the same Cuyahoga County report. The association, representing all 88 county treasurers, expressed gratitude towards the Ohio Legislature for passing the bill, which they believe will bring much-needed accountability and pave the way for future legislative improvements.

Treasurer Cromes also hinted at further reforms, intending to prevent any property transfers before settling outstanding taxes altogether, a sentiment many of his colleagues echoed. The association and Treasurer Cromes, having twice testified before the General Assembly in support of the legislation, are poised to tackle additional property tax issues within the coming year. Every Sheriff’s sale henceforth, as Futryk articulated, will center around accountability, saying "This change will ensure that accountability is at the center of Sheriff’s sale transactions in Ohio and sets the table for future improvements," according to the statement he gave to Cuyahoga County news.