KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The deadline to appeal commercial property tax assessments in Jackson County was Monday.
As small business owners made their cases online, several local tenants and vendors who rent spaces from property owners were stuck feeling anxious about the future.
“It was a shock, especially the amount being almost 600%,” said Steve Waters, owner of All Keyed Up Piano Shop. “We’re kind of emotional about it because it raised our monthly bills considerably.”
Waters was notified by his landlord, Group Real Estate Development, on June 26 that he would have to pay $821 more in rent every month.
His landlord is going through the appeals process, but the immediate impacts of the tax hike to Waters’ rent add to the existing burden of inflation.
The hardest part, though, was sitting down with four vendors who sublease from him and charging them 23% more for their rent.
“One of my vendors just had a child two months ago,” Waters said.
Bob Stout is one of those vendors.
Stout operates Stout Piano Services from the building. He restores old player pianos and sells antiques.
Another rent hike is an all-too-similar tune, as his rent already went up twice this year because of rising insurance rates. With a higher property value on the building, the concern is that insurance rates will rise again.
“It seems like us little guys don’t get any breaks,” said Stout.
Living on social security while also working inside All Keyed Up Piano Shop was supposed to help Stout with his income. But he is not even breaking even.
“I hate to think that I would have to move out of here," Stout said. I just basically have to shut down my business altogether,” Stout said.
Waters says he can get behind a 15% rate cap on commercial properties, a solution the Jackson County legislature has been exploring.
“One foot in front of the other rather than a quantum leap of 600 percent,” said Waters.
He is skeptical of any refunds or rebates from this tax season, but hopes a change in leadership will help him sing a brighter tune.
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