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HAMILTON — Notices going out this week from the Butler County Auditor's Office will reflect an average 5.95 percent increase in appraised property values countywide, according to a property value reappraisal approved by the state last week.

Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds said the specific increases and decreases in value differ substantially in different parts of the county. Middletown saw the least growth while Oxford saw the most, he said.

The appraisals were determined by looking at home sales and 2006 and 2007 — but not 2005, when the housing bubble was still inflating — Reynolds said. This is the last major adjustment to property values since 2005, and reflects a substantially slowed housing market, officials said.

"These are much smaller increases than we have observed in the past," said Shelley Wilson, head of the Ohio Department of

But increased property values don't necessarily equate to a corresponding tax hike, Reynolds said; commercial growth is helping to shoulder the tax burden so some may see decreases to their tax bill.

"Our tax burden is being offset by a commercial growth to our tax base," Reynolds said. "That gives a relief to our taxpayers."

Reynolds said a stampede of objections to the appraisals is unlikely, though some people have voiced concerns that appraised home values are going up while sale values have gone down in recent years.

Property owners can object to the county's numbers at informal reviews schedule across the county. Dates and locations are listed in the notices going out this week. And Reynolds is scheduling town hall meetings across the county to explain the numbers to homeowners. The first is 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8, at Ross High School.

Town hall meeting schedule:

All meetings are 7 to 9 p.m., except for Middletown meetings, which are 6 to 8 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 8

Ross High School - auditorium, 3601 Hamilton-Cleves Road, Ross Twp.

Wednesday, Sept. 10

Liberty Twp. Administration Building, 6400 Princeton Road, Liberty Twp.

Monday, Sept. 22

Hamilton Freshman School - auditorium, 2260 NW Washington Blvd., Hamilton

Wednesday, Sept. 24

Middletown Senior Center, conference room, 3907 Central Ave., Middletown

Tuesday, Sept. 30

Fairfield Community Arts Center - community room, 411 Wessel Drive, Fairfield

Wednesday, Oct. 1

West Chester Twp. Hall, 9113 Cincinnati Dayton Road, West Chester Twp.

Thursday, Oct. 2

LCNB National Bank, community room, 30 Park Place, Oxford