CINCINNATI — Hamilton County commissioners decided Thursday not to implement new local property tax exemptions that would have provided relief to some homeowners but cost schools, townships and other local programs more than $34 million in funding.

The decision came after school district leaders from across the county pleaded with commissioners not to adopt the optional tax breaks authorized under Ohio House Bill 96, which took effect in September.

"We need to provide property tax relief. We need to do that. People saw a spike in their bills, and so we need to respond to that," Hamilton County Commission President Denise Driehaus said. "Pushing that down to the local governments to piggyback on what the state is doing by way of the homestead, it puts an undue burden on us and simply pass

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