KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics on both sides of the state line. If you have a story idea to share, you can send Charlie an email at charlie.keegan@kshb.com.
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Leaders in Jackson County, Missouri, passed an ordinance Monday to cap increases in commercial property assessments at 15%, but it’s unclear how the measure will affect 2025’s property assessments.
Ordinance 5990 is in direct reaction to some commercial property values jumping by 100% or 400%.
The deadline for the assessor to change the 2025 assessed values has passed. Legislator Sean Smith said the Board of Equalization and the State Tax Commission can still make changes to this year’s values.
Smith said the ordinance essentially asks those entities to intervene, but the county doesn’t have any authority over them.
“This isn’t political, to be clear,” Smith said. “It is intended to give hope where they might otherwise feel no hope. What I would say is, if a business owner has the opportunity to stay in business, carry on a little bit longer, we’re trying to say we're fighting for you.”
County Counselor Bryan Covinsky wrote legislators an opinion on the ordinance, calling it a “direct conflict with Missouri State statutes. This would make it both invalid and unenforceable."
A spokesperson for the Missouri State Tax Commission echoed that opinion.
"The STC does not have the authority to grant that request, nor could the STC itself impose such a limitation. This would require a change in existing state law," an STC spokesperson wrote.
The ordinance passed with five yes votes (Abarca, Anderson, Husky, McGee and Sean Smith), three no votes (Franklin, Lauer and Megan Smith), and with Legislator Donna Peyton absent.
The county executive has 10 days to veto legislation.
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