Latest news with #StateTaxCommission
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Confused by latest order? How to calculate if your Jackson County assessment is within limits
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jackson County assessments are showing up in homeowner's mailboxes. Some people may be surprised at the increase after a May order from the State Tax Commission. Some taxpayers may receive tax refunds in June: When payments could arrive That order capped increases in each assessment period at 15% and set 2022 as a starting point for this year's assessments after 2023 assessments were heavily contested. But determining your maximum 2025 assessment is a little bit more complicated than a single multiplication or division. Legislator Sean Smith and Preston Smith (no relation) have been helping homeowners with appeals since assessments skyrocketed in 2023. This week as they went out again they've been getting questions about what the latest State Tax Commission Order and 15% cap really means. 'People look at it and the first thing they see is, I thought it was only going to be a 15% increase and that was the perception. I've probably answered it online 100 times,' Preston Smith said. 'A lot of people are contacting me thinking they only do the 15 percent once, but you have to do it twice,' Legislator Sean Smith explained. To illustrate how it works with the latest rules using 2022 assessments as the starting point, consider a home with a $100,000 assessed value in 2022. To calculate the maximum assessed value in 2023 multiply $100,000 by 1.15 which is $115,000. But then you have to multiply by 115% again to determine the maximum value a home could be assessed at this year. In this example it would be $132,250. The two 15% increases end up yielding a maximum increase of 32.25% during the two assessment periods. 'I would really urge people to do the math themselves to check it, check and really verify,' Preston Smith said. To do that, however, you have to know your home's 2022 assessed value, which according to those who have received this year's assessments, isn't on this year's notices. You can find that historical information online at the Jackson County Parcel Viewer or Ascend Web. If your increase ends up beyond the allowances under the State order or if you simply don't agree with your value, you still can appeal. Appeals have to be filed by July 14. Download WDAF+ for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV As for seniors, 40,000 are already enrolled in a new tax credit program freezing tax bills. The county says estimated savings are included on notices, but are subject to change. Both Sean and Preston Smith say they are pressing the Assessor's Office for complete assessment data in 2022, 2023 and 2025 to see how much home values increased, and how many of those increases equated to the maximum allowed if no new construction was done under the State Tax Commission Order without a physical inspection. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Jackson County likely to comply with latest order on assessments
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The latest Missouri State Tax Commission Order could spell relief for some Jackson County homeowners. It appears the county is prepared to follow limits on how much taxes go up, using 2022 as a baseline instead of 2023. FOX4 asked the County Executive's Office Tuesday and got no response, legislators say they haven't gotten a response either. So they'll be asking the county executive's plans at Wednesday's meeting. But there are signs indicating the two sides are finally coming together. Kansas City mayor says Royals stadium plan could be done soon In April, and not raise taxes in 2025 any more than 15% from that corrected amount. But after those 2023 assessments went up in some cases by as much as 100% and saw widespread appeals, County Executive Frank White responded rolling back the taxes now would jeopardize funding for schools public safety and vital services. Last week the State Tax Commission issued a new order. 'It doesn't fully correct '23 or '24 but it at least makes it so we don't screw up 2025 worse,' Jackson County Legislator Sean Smith said. The May 22 order says limits on 2025 assessments should be based on 2022. So short of additions to your house since then, no assessed values should go up more than 15%. That means if you saw an increase of more than 15% in 2023, your taxes would go down. Legislator Sean Smith says he's seen email correspondence between the STC and county attorneys negotiating agreeable terms. 'It certainly seems like the County plans to follow this STC order and presuming that's the case, it's a great win,' Smith said. You can check your 2022 assessments here to see if your 2025 valuation falls within that limit of no more than a 15% increase. The Jackson County Executive's Office previously told FOX4 the Jackson County Assessor will have assessments mailed out by the June 15 deadline. Download WDAF+ for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV 'The assessor I assume has some work to do. How much, I don't know? The truth is they should have been ready for this. This always needed to be the answer and why they needed to negotiate back and forth to get to this answer is frankly kind of ridiculous,' Smith said. The State Tax Commission Chief Counsel made it clear Tuesday the only reason this order doesn't require the county to fix 2023 now is to concentrate on 2025 assessments coming out and avoid confusion. But they say they still expect and require the county to fix 2023 and 2024 assessments, a matter that remains in court. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Jackson County 2023 property tax appeals extension ends Wednesday
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jackson County Legislator Manuel Abarca IV announced that residents in the county who filed property tax appeals in 2023 have until Wednesday to continue the appeals process. According to Abarca's office, property owners who recently received notices about the 2023 property tax appeals extension into 2025 have until April 30 to contact the Board of Equalization and select one of the following three options: Hearing:Request to move forward with a formal hearing by contacting the Board with updatedcontact information. Appellants must email boe@ or call 816-881-3309with their appeal number. Waiver:Waive the right to a hearing but allow the Board to review the appeal and supportingdocumentation submitted. Decisions will be issued by mail. Advancement:Request a 'no change' determination without a hearing, allowing the appellant toproceed directly to the State Tax Commission if they choose to pursue further action. Missouri lawmakers urged to extend fallen first responder benefits If residents do not respond by Wednesday, Abarca's office said it will automatically result in the appeal being marked as 'Advancement,' or option three. This means that there will be no change and no hearing. Abraca acknowledged in the announcement that residents may be experiencing some confusion due to the 'chaos of the unknown,' 'shifting deadlines,' unclear processes,' and 'high stakes for their homes and livelihoods.' However, he emphasized that property owners must not miss this important deadline, claiming that 'transparency and accountability are critical, especially when it comes to property taxes that directly impact our families and neighborhoods.' Download WDAF+ for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV For more information or help, property owners can email boe@ directly or call 816-881-3309. Make sure to provide your name and BOE appeal number. Property owners can also contact the Office of Legislator Abarca for assistance by emailing mbravo@ or calling 816-462-7369. FOX4 has reached out to the County Executive's Office for comment, but has not received a response back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Jackson County residential property assessment to rise to 15% in 2025
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jackson County officials revealed on Thursday that residential property assessment increases will be limited to no more than 15% in 2025. Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. and County Assessor Gail McCann Beatty say that after collaboration with legal experts, the decision 'reflects the only responsible course of action left as the State Tax Commission continues to shift rules.' Jackson County's news release also claims that the 'shift' of rules is contradictory and that they leave local governments exposed both financially and legally. KC man pleads guilty to federal gun charge from Chiefs' Super Bowl parade shooting 'While others point fingers or promise what they know can't be delivered, we're making the hard choice to protect property owners, preserve public services and ensure that our assessment process can continue under the most difficult of circumstances,' White Jr. said in the release. The increase in property assessments comes after a judge found the STC's order in 2023 to be unenforceable. Jackson County's release says they've worked to comply with state law even as the STC shifts inconsistently. 'One day, we're told inspections must happen after January 1. The next, they say we can start before. We've asked, repeatedly what counts as a 'physical inspection.' We've received no answers,' Beatty said. Now, any property that sees an increase of more than 15% is required to get a physical exterior inspection. Property owners will also be able to request an interior inspection at the same time as the exterior. However, it cannot be determined whether or not a property exceeds the 15% limit until after the inspections, which prompted Jackson County to call the action a 'logistical and legal contradiction' in its release. 'With more than 300,000 parcels, who do we inspect? Who do we leave out?' Beatty said. 'And how is it fair that those we manage to reach may end up with higher taxes than those we physically couldn't? Why should either group be penalized?' KCPD: Victim of predatory towing? Email property crime detectives Now, Jackson County says that officials will continue to evaluate proposals to provide inforamtion as developments arise and issue additional notices. The county also says that officials know that the solution isn't perfect. 'Jackson County is under no illusion that this is a perfect solution. It is not. But in a landscape defined by legal contradictions, shifting interpretations and operational impossibilities, this is the most responsible and legally sound path available,' the statement reads. 'We need modern tools, not contradictory mandates. We need clarity, not political pressure. And we need a system that works,' Beatty said. 'Because right now, we're all being set up to fail.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jackson County approves ordinance requiring Frank White to follow judge's order on property taxes
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A razor thin majority of Jackson County legislators want the Jackson County Executive to end a legal battle and follow the law. It all stems from property tax assessments that skyrocketed for many homeowners back in 2023. Those property tax assessments are what protesters who rallied in Independence Monday say started a recall petition for Frank White. That effort has since been renewed. Lawsuit filed after Kansas City metro man, DACA recipient is deported to Mexico 'It was time that we said look we've had enough, because this thing should not drag on as long as it has,' Les Williams said at the rally. A judge ruled in favor of the State Tax Commission last week that Jackson County violated state law raising a majority of homeowners property taxes by more than 15%. 75% saw what equate to illegal increases under the law, some people saw them nearly double. Questions arose when White didn't immediately say — or write to legislators Monday — that increases would be clawed back to 15% based on the ruling. 'We will not rush into any decision that could compound the confusion, misapply the law, or create further inequity in our property tax system,' White wrote in the letter. 'It's all the gamesmanship coming from the Executive and his cronies. We just need to get down to the brass tacks. We need to fix people's property taxes and we've got to stop doing these dramatic increases,' Legislator Manny Abarca said. At Monday's meeting 5 of 9 legislators ordered White to follow the ruling and the law. 'The county does not escape this without taking corrective action nor should we. We did it wrong, we should fix it and we should fix it soon so we don't continue to compound the problem,' Legislator Sean Smith said. 'It's shocking that anyone would vote against following the law but thank God we had enough people to show that we should follow the law,' homeowner Ginny Henson said. Those who voted against the ordinance pointed to the list of all the cities, schools and fire districts who could lose revenue, money already spent, with no clear answers from the State Tax Commission on how long they'd have to issue tax credits. See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri The debate comes as the Jackson County Assessor nears a June deadline to issue 2025 assessments. Smith raised questions whether caps on increases would use the starting point on your home's assessed value last time, or the maximum it should have been legally. White, who was not at Monday's meeting, said . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
