俄亥俄州各县财务部门去年向投资者出售了数千万美元的逾期房产税债务，投资者获得以18%的法定利息收取这些债务的权利[1]。库亚荷加县2024年6月的一笔出售创下历年新高，达1800万美元，而富兰克林县去年出售的1000万美元债务也是往年平均水平的两倍[1]。这一做法引发了州议员的批评，他们认为这构成了掠夺性贷款，将陷入困境的业主困在债务循环中[1]。
具体案例反映了这一模式的严重性。一名73岁的寡妇在2014-2015年出售的接近21000美元的债务，十年后已支付40500美元，仍欠21600美元[1]。另一起案例中，原本4000美元的债务在利息和费用后花费13191美元才得以解决[1]。俄亥俄州人民银行首席执行官丹尼尔·布罗林评价称："这是一个围绕流离失所利润构建的商业模式"[1]。
越来越多的利益相关者呼吁禁止对住宅和农业地产进行这类债券出售[1]。超过320000名俄亥俄州居民签署请愿书要求废除房产税[1]，民主党州长候选人艾米·埃克顿也提议打击县税收证券出售[1]。尽管县财务部门辩称这是必要的执法工具，但这一做法的改革压力不断增加[1]。
Ohio county financial departments sold tens of millions of dollars in delinquent property tax debts to investors last year, granting these investors the right to collect the obligations with an 18% statutory interest rate.[1] Cuyahoga County set a record in June 2024 by selling $18 million in such debts, while Franklin County sold $10 million in debts the previous year—double its historical average.[1] The practice has drawn criticism from state lawmakers who characterize it as predatory lending that traps struggling homeowners in cycles of escalating debt.[1]
The human cost of these sales is evident in specific cases. One 73-year-old widow saw her debt of approximately $21,000 sold in 2014-2015 grow to $40,500 after ten years of payments, with $21,600 still remaining owed.[1] Another homeowner's $4,000 debt ballooned to $13,191 after interest and fees were applied.[1] County financial officials defend the sales as necessary enforcement tools, but growing momentum exists among stakeholders to prohibit such certificate sales on residential and agricultural properties.[1] Over 320,000 Ohio residents have signed a petition demanding the abolition of property tax sales.[1] Daniel Broughlin, chief executive of Ohio People's Bank, characterized the arrangement as "a business model built around the profitability of displacement,"[1] while Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton has proposed cracking down on county tax certificate sales.[1]