(A) As used in this section, "qualifying county" means a county to which both of the following apply:

(1) At least one major league professional athletic team plays its home schedule in the county for the season beginning in 1996;

(2) The majority of the electors of the county, voting at an election held in 1996, approved a referendum on a resolution of the board of county commissioners levying a sales and use tax under sections 5739.026 and 5741.023 of the Revised Code.

(B) On or before December 31, 1996, the board of county commissioners of a qualifying county may adopt a resolution under this section. The resolution shall grant a partial real property tax exemption to each homestead in the county that also receives the tax reduction under division (B) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code. The partial exemption shall take the form of the reduction by a specified percentage each year of the real property taxes on the homestead. The resolution shall specify the percentage, which may be any amount. The board may include in the resolution a condition that the partial exemption will apply only upon the receipt by the county of additional revenue from a source specified in the resolution. The resolution shall specify the tax year in which the partial exemption first applies, which may be the tax year in which the resolution takes effect as long as the resolution takes effect before the county auditor certifies the tax duplicate of real and public utility property for that tax year to the county treasurer. Upon adopting the resolution, the board shall certify copies of it to the county auditor and the tax commissioner.

(C) After complying with sections 319.301, 319.302, and 323.152 of the Revised Code, the county auditor shall reduce the remaining sum to be levied against a homestead by the percentage called for in the resolution adopted under division (B) of this section. The auditor shall certify the amount of taxes remaining after the reduction to the county treasurer for collection as the real property taxes charged and payable on the homestead.

(D) For each tax year, the county auditor shall certify to the board of county commissioners the total amount by which real property taxes were reduced under this section. At the time of each semi-annual settlement of real property taxes between the county auditor and county treasurer, the board of county commissioners shall pay to the auditor one-half of that total amount. Upon receipt of the payment, the county auditor shall distribute it among the various taxing districts in the county as if it had been levied, collected, and settled as real property taxes. The board of county commissioners shall make the payment from the county general fund or from any other county revenue that may be used for that purpose. In making the payment, the board may use revenue from taxes levied by the county to provide additional general revenue under sections 5739.021 and 5741.021 of the Revised Code or to provide additional revenue for the county general fund under sections 5739.026 and 5741.023 of the Revised Code.

(E) The partial exemption under this section shall not directly or indirectly affect the determination of the principal amount of notes that may be issued in anticipation of a tax levy or the amount of securities that may be issued for any permanent improvements authorized in conjunction with a tax levy.

(F) At any time, the board of county commissioners may adopt a resolution amending or repealing the partial exemption granted under this section. Upon adopting a resolution amending or repealing the partial exemption, the board shall certify copies of it to the county auditor and the tax commissioner. The resolution shall specify the tax year in which the amendment or repeal first applies, which may be the tax year in which the resolution takes effect as long as the resolution takes effect before the county auditor certifies the tax duplicate of real and public utility property for that tax year to the county treasurer.

(G) If a person files a late application for a tax reduction under division (B) of section 323.152 of the Revised Code for the preceding year, and is granted the reduction, the person also shall receive the reduction under this section for the preceding year. The county auditor shall credit the amount of the reduction against the person's current year taxes, and shall include the amount of the reduction in the amount certified to the board of county commissioners under division (D) of this section.

Effective Date: 09-03-1996.