YOUNGSTOWN — With 83 tax-exempt organizations in Mahoning County not paying special assessments — fees for expenses such as 911 and weed cutting — Auditor Ralph Meacham is giving them until the August tax bill to either pay up or risk losing their property tax exemptions.

“There are several of these that owe money,” Meacham said Tuesday. “Sometimes it’s a few bucks. Sometimes it’s a few hundred bucks. We have enough tax delinquencies in the county.”

The county’s tax delinquency rate is 18%, with about $71.9 million not collected.

Special assessments are charged separately from property taxes and are attached to a property tax bill. These charges can be assigned by the county or a local government entity.

There are 83 tax-exempt organizations owning 139 parcels in the county that have failed to pay required special assessments, Meacham said. That includes the county 911 assessment, street light bills, weed cutting and debris removal, fees to board up vacant homes and ABC Water & Stormwater District bills, he said.

Meacham said state law requires properties approved for exemption from property taxes to still pay special assessments.

Meacham said his office is sending letters to the 83 organizations that haven’t paid the special assessments to inform them that if they don’t pay by the August property tax deadline, he may remove their property tax exemption for 2026.

There also are cases in which the tax-exempt organization no longer exists, Meacham said.

“We’re also clearing up our records,” he said. “If they’re out of business, we will take them off the rolls. This process will get the delinquencies cleared up and find out who is no longer there.”

Meacham said he got the idea to eliminate the tax exemptions for those who don’t pay special assessments from talking with members of his staff and working to lower the county’s delinquent tax rate.

“Some people don’t know they have to pay the assessments or just don’t pay it,” he said. “This will hopefully get their attention.”

But if some organizations aren’t paying special assessments, why would they pay property taxes if the county requires them to do so?

“I don’t know,” Meacham said. “Hopefully they’ll pay it. That’s the hope. We’re trying to keep our records clean.”