By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent

NEW CARLISLE, Ohio — Property taxes can be quite extravagant; imagine being taxed for land one doesn’t even own.

That’s the dilemma Richard Hartman of New Carlisle has faced since 1997. Hartman is a former seed dealer and current farmer who owns three parcels (55 acres, 32.28 acres field and 370 feet of lane) on Hampton Road in Darke County. In 1997, Hartman received a letter stating he owed more than $1,800 in property taxes. But Hartman hasn’t paid one cent in taxes.

“All property owners should know where their boundary lines are,” Hartman said. “The Clark County Auditor’s Office says I have more acreage than I own and they’re trying to tax me on all this. I’ve made copies of all my tax statements; I have copies of all my survey records, and I recommend that all other farmers do the same.”

Hartman has owned his farm since 1939. He savors life in the country and has had few troubles when it comes to real farming issues.

It’s the political red tape that has Hartman all up in arms.
“Since the early 1900s the lane to this farm has been 370 feet, but in 2001 my Clark County Real Estate Tax form read 820 feet.
For five years it said I had 820 feet, but in 2006 and 2007 they added another zero, meaning I had 8,200 feet. This has been a fraud for more than 20 years. Then they said I had more field acres than I really had.”

Hartman’s problems began when he received a property tax bill for more than $1,800. Hartman knew that amount was far too high and began checking into the matter. He holds original and updated engineering drawings that list his property measurements, but over the years those numbers on the engineer’s specifications have escalated.

He tried to prove his case by hiring three separate surveyors. All three had different calculations, however, and none were even close to Hartman’s original engineer specifications.

Rather than pay the taxes Hartman has decided to take on all authorities involved.

But the many contacts with the Clark County Engineer’s Office, Clark County Auditor’s Office, letters to both Ohio governors (Taft and Strickland), meetings with a consumer protection specialist, written correspondence and phone calls have had little resolve with this issue.

In 2008, he took his matter to the Ohio Supreme Court, but that court ruled it had no jurisdiction over such matters and suggested that Hartman seek an attorney in the matter.

In Hartman’s own words, he was “back at square one.”

“I’ve written to then-Ohio Gov. Bob Taft, and I’ve recently written to Gov. Ted Strickland,” Hartman said. “I’ve tried to let them know about the property line discrepancies from these surveyors, but they tell me to check with the county auditor and county commissioners. I’ve even written to the FBI. I simply refuse to pay for land they say I own that I don’t own. What’s worse, I’ve had to write checks for $2,500 each time I’ve had my land surveyed. This has nearly cost me an arm and a leg.”

Hartman said he’s running short on money and patience.
“These property owners, lawyers, lawmakers and politicians should be behind bars,” Hartman said angrily. “I’ve been advised that if I pay the tax I’d be admitting guilt.”

Hartman fears that other farmers may be paying taxes on land they do not own. The only silver lining, he said, is others can learn from his mistakes.

“Simply put, you should not pay taxes on ground you do not have,” Hartman said. “If this is happening to me how many other farmers are they doing it to. Someday they’ll make this into a great book or movie.”