Commissioners press for county tax‑loss numbers after Ravenna Township seeks 30‑year, 100% TIF
July 10, 2026 | Portage County, Ohio
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Mark Gadetti, speaking on behalf of Ravenna Township, asked the Portage County Board of Commissioners to approve a proposed tax‑increment financing plan that would provide a 30‑year, 100% abatement to enable completion of phase 6 of the Forest Ridge residential development.
Gadetti said the proposal is a "non school TIF," noting the school district had been notified and "will receive 100% of the funding they would otherwise receive whether this TIF exists or not." He told commissioners that GBC Group provided an engineer’s certification that infrastructure improvements are needed and that planning professional Doug McGee prepared the required development plan under the Revised Code.
Several commissioners pressed for specific numbers showing county revenue that would be foregone if the board approved a full 30‑year abatement. One commissioner said they had expected the school‑impact calculation to already be done and asked for the county's projected loss; Gadetti said he did not have a specific estimate for the county but could obtain a ballpark figure from the developer and provide it to the board.
Commissioners also questioned whether a 30‑year, 100% abatement shifts disproportionate long‑term cost to the county. A commissioner summarized the concern: approving a long abatement could leave township and county taxpayers covering services while the developer receives the incentive. Gadetti replied that at present "there's 0% taxation for the district" and that, by the time the abatement ends, the county would begin to receive tax dollars from the completed development.
The presenter said the development would include roughly 37–41 lots, with phase 6 estimated at 28 lots and 13 undeveloped residual lots from earlier phases. Commissioners noted that additional housing could increase demands on fire and sheriff services and asked staff to consider public‑safety impacts when reviewing the plan.
No final vote on the TIF occurred at the meeting. The presenter agreed to provide the requested foregone‑tax estimates to commissioners and to alert Ravenna Township trustees that the board would like to be involved earlier in future negotiations.
What's next: The county requested numerical estimates of foregone county tax revenue and any additional service‑cost projections; the board took no formal action on the TIF at this meeting.
Gadetti said the proposal is a "non school TIF," noting the school district had been notified and "will receive 100% of the funding they would otherwise receive whether this TIF exists or not." He told commissioners that GBC Group provided an engineer’s certification that infrastructure improvements are needed and that planning professional Doug McGee prepared the required development plan under the Revised Code.
Several commissioners pressed for specific numbers showing county revenue that would be foregone if the board approved a full 30‑year abatement. One commissioner said they had expected the school‑impact calculation to already be done and asked for the county's projected loss; Gadetti said he did not have a specific estimate for the county but could obtain a ballpark figure from the developer and provide it to the board.
Commissioners also questioned whether a 30‑year, 100% abatement shifts disproportionate long‑term cost to the county. A commissioner summarized the concern: approving a long abatement could leave township and county taxpayers covering services while the developer receives the incentive. Gadetti replied that at present "there's 0% taxation for the district" and that, by the time the abatement ends, the county would begin to receive tax dollars from the completed development.
The presenter said the development would include roughly 37–41 lots, with phase 6 estimated at 28 lots and 13 undeveloped residual lots from earlier phases. Commissioners noted that additional housing could increase demands on fire and sheriff services and asked staff to consider public‑safety impacts when reviewing the plan.
No final vote on the TIF occurred at the meeting. The presenter agreed to provide the requested foregone‑tax estimates to commissioners and to alert Ravenna Township trustees that the board would like to be involved earlier in future negotiations.
What's next: The county requested numerical estimates of foregone county tax revenue and any additional service‑cost projections; the board took no formal action on the TIF at this meeting.
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