Homeowners are ‘cautiously hopeful’ after State Tax Commission order in 2023 tax assessment

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Thousands of Jackson County homeowners are ‘cautiously hopeful’ following Missouri State Tax Commission (STC) order in the 2023 property tax assessment.

On Thursday, the Attorney General’s lawsuit was dismissed by a judge. This comes after the STC ordered county officials to correct the 2023 assessment roll.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey said that the order accomplishes what the lawsuit set out to do. A judge agreed to dismiss the case.

Tim Bullock, a south KC homeowner, said he was thrilled when he saw the order.

More Coverage: Jackson County legislators say it’s time to stop fighting, start fixing property tax problem

“Well, my heart kind of raced up, and I thought, finally, maybe something is going to be done,” Bullock said.

Bullock’s 2023 property tax went up 40.5%, yet he said no one ever showed up to assess his 1950s home. In November, he paid what he said was a $1,000 tax increase—money he didn’t have lying around.

“When I got my assessment notice last year and how much it was going to increase, my eyes popped out of my head,” Bullock said.

For the last year, he’s lost sleep over it and had to make tough financial sacrifices.

“A lot of work needs to be done on this house – electrical, plumbing, the tax is taking away all the money for things that I need to get done to this house,” Bullock said.

John Welchert, a property owner and realtor, said the order from the STC is a huge step forward. But is skeptical and questions if it’ll happen.

“How is the county going to repay all this excess money that they have now charged? Because everyone has paid it,” Welchert said.

Welchert owns two identical, side-by-side duplexes in Blue Springs that were valued differently. One rose in value to $321,000 and the other to $361,000.

But he fought the county and settled on $172,000 for his duplexes.

“It’s horrible that we have to go through all of this,” Welchert said. “I don’t know how the county can avoid it.”

While they wait, both Welchert and Bullock just want to see some ability moving forward.

“I hope they definitely will be held able, and something put in place where something in this nature could never happen again, not to this degree,” Bullock said. “If it goes through, it’ll help me considerably, as I’m sure many other residents in the city. But I know Frank White and the county, they’re going to fight this thing tooth and nail.”

Copyright 2024 KCTV. All rights reserved.