KANSAS CITY, MO — The Jackson County assessment mess makes property owners laugh, cry and spend hours wondering how it all gets fixed.
Jackson Country legislator Manny Abarca plans to introduce two pieces of legislation he hopes are part of a solution.
Robert Sapp is one of those homeowners in search of answers.
“We paid it (family home) off a year-and-a-half ago and we are about to get our house payment back in the amount taxes being raised on us,” Sapp said.
He says after paying about $800 dollars in mortgage payments for 30 years it would be a burden to come up with that amount again.
“It went from $200K to over $500K in Oak Grove, Missouri,” said Sapp. ”With the insurance and our taxes, it’ll be about the same amount again.”
Sapp is 66, blind and without help the increased financial burden could force him to move.
He wants to stay in a place where he's comfortable.
“I know my way around the house. I feel very safe there,” he said. “What I’m afraid of is, I’m going to lose that, I’m going to be stuck out in the country somewhere or in another city. I'm 66-years-old and its going to be a burden."
Abarca says he is trying to offer relief with two pieces of legislation he plans to introduce.
The first proposal would protect seniors from tax increases.
“It would set them back at the 2023 rate,” Abarca said.
The second proposal would ask legislators to consider a 15 percent cap on increases for all Jackson County residents.
“We’ve heard from folks who don’t get their medicine or don’t eat that week and we have heard some pretty powerful testimony,” said Abarca. “At the end of the day people still need to appeal their taxes by the July 10th date. That’s the one thing that can change their fair market value and can in turn change their bill."
