Ohio Agency Defends Denial of Business Incubator’s Tax Break

Cultivating for-profit businesses isn’t an intrinsically charitable activity eligible for a property tax exemption, Ohio’s tax commissioner and a local school district told the Ohio Supreme Court.

The two briefs filed Monday come in response to the city of Akron’s request that the justices overturn a June decision from the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals that the city’s business incubator no longer qualifies for an exemption because Akron ceded direction and control of the program to the nonprofit, Bounce Innovation Hub.

“The City’s efforts to provide a program like this are certainly commendable,” Tax Commissioner Patricia Harris told the court. ...