KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.
—
Wyandotte County has begun mailing property valuation notices, and some residents are already feeling the financial pressure of rising assessments.
I cover Wyandotte County and hear about property taxes regularly, so I took resident questions straight to the county appraiser himself.
A taxpayer's frustrations
Kansas City, Kansas, property owner Katie Ryan said the increases have become impossible to keep up with.
"When you see your tax bill go from 200 to 400 to 600 to 800 to 900 dollars a month, that's unaffordable,” Ryan said.
Ryan owns several residential and commercial properties in the Argentine and Turner areas and said she is concerned about rising assessments for herself and her neighbors.
We met at Grounded Sole Coffeehouse along Strong Avenue, where she connected with another resident over valuation frustrations.
"We love Argentine, we love the Turner area, we're happy to be a part of it,” Ryan said. “And I don't want taxes to push us out, but it's a weird deal."
Ryan's previous experience
Ryan has firsthand experience with dramatic valuation swings.
As a real estate agent, she questions the comparable properties the county uses to value homes.
“You just kind of start picking it apart,” she said.
One of her properties was valued at approximately $117,000 in 2023, then jumped to $270,000 the following year — more than doubling her property tax bill.
"We went from approximately $5,000 annually to over $10,000 annually,” Ryan said. “For us, that's unsustainable. That's really upsetting."
Ryan began appealing her 2024 valuation in March 2024.
The process concluded at the end of February 2026, when the Board of Tax Appeals ruled that the county did not meet its burden of proof to justify any increase.
Her 2024 valuation was reduced back to the 2023 level.
The ruling also requires the county to reimburse any overpayments and adjust any penalties.
"It's frustrating,” Ryan said. “It's overwhelming to see a property increase over $105,000 year over year. It feels unjustified, and it feels like they're taking money out of our pocket."
Ryan said she is hopeful the county will honor the ruling.
"I'm hopeful,” Ryan said. “I’m hopeful that the county is going to honor what Topeka decided. I don't see why they wouldn't."
The big picture
She also raised concerns about the broader impact rising valuations have on communities.
"Property ownership is important for communities,” Ryan said. “I feel defensive for myself, not only for myself, but for my neighbors, for the community that their most valuable asset is protected."
Ryan said she worries that improvements to a property could lead to higher taxes, creating a disincentive for homeowners.
“’Wait a minute, if I improve my house, I'm going to be penalized?’ Well, I guess I don't do it, and that's not good for communities. That's not good for the county."
From questions to answers
Ryan had several questions about her assessment and valuation that I took to Wyandotte County Appraiser Matthew Willard — including whether the county tracks whether tax increases happen faster than people's wage increases.
Willard said the answer is no.
Ryan said the two should be connected.
"They correlate,” Ryan said. “Because these are real people."
The county's process
Willard said property values are driven by what homes are actually selling for in the market.
"We are still seeing increasing sales prices, just not at the same rate that we were in ’22 and ’23,” Willard said. "As long as people are buying and paying more than they were previously, values are going to increase."
He said the county is legally required to appraise every property within 10% of fair market value as defined by state statute.
"If things are selling for more, I'm bound to reflect that in my valuation,” Willard said.
The average residential valuation in Wyandotte County increased approximately 8.5% in 2026.
Willard said that figure is based on what houses are selling for.
About 2,100 residential properties — including vacant land — were appealed in 2025.
Willard says that number was lower than in years past, largely because values had not gone up as much as in previous years.
The county values approximately 51,000 homes in a given year and visits properties once every five years.
The state's influence
Willard also noted that state legislative changes over the years have impacted the tax burden.
"There have been a lot of state legislative changes over the years that, quite frankly, have shifted that tax burden from commercial payers onto residential payers,” Willard said.
In 2019, he says the tax burden in Wyandotte County was split roughly 50/50 between commercial and residential properties.
Today, that split is closer to 60/40, with residential paying more.
Willard said rebalancing that split would require legislative action.
At the state level, a bill for a constitutional amendment that would cap assessment increases at 3% across the board has passed out of the Kansas Senate and is currently in the legislature.
Willard added that this approach gets away from taxing at a fair market value.
Commercial properties are currently assessed at 25% of market value for tax purposes, while residential properties are assessed at 11.5%.
"There is a lot that goes into that property tax burden,” Willard said. "We are kind of dividing up a pie that nobody wants a piece of."
Willard said the county's goal is accuracy, not revenue generation.
"Our goal isn't to generate revenue or set a certain number, it's to value those properties at fair market value,” Willard said.
The county's solution
He encouraged residents who feel discouraged to still pursue the appeals process, noting that 44% of people who filed informal appeals last year saw a reduction.
Willard assures residents the county will never increase a valuation as a result of an appeal or conduct any impromptu code checks if they come by.
Residents can complete the process either virtually or by telephone.
"I know folks don't necessarily believe it, but we do want people to come in and appeal,” Willard said. “If there is something that needs to be corrected or adjusted, we're going to do it."
Willard said the county makes sales information available to residents filing appeals, but that the process is intended to catch what the county can’t.
"Individuals, they know their property better than the county does,” Willard said. “If somebody is aware of a sale they feel is a better comparable, bring it as part of the appeals process, and that's how we can look at that."
Ryan said she plans to keep fighting.
"I guess I'm going to be appealing again," Ryan said.
The appeal deadline is March 26.
How to get involved
The county is hosting several information sessions throughout the month for residents looking to appeal or ask questions.
Upcoming information sessions:
- Tuesday, March 10 at 6 p.m. — George Meyn Center, 126 State Avenue, Bonner Springs, Kansas, 66109
- Thursday, March 12 at 6 p.m. — Eisenhower Recreation Center, 2910 N. 72nd Street, Kansas City, Kansas, 66109
- Wednesday, March 18 at 6 p.m. — Beatrice Lee Community Center, 1310 N. 10th Street, Kansas City, Kansas, 66101
- Thursday, March 19 at 6 p.m. — Joe Amayo Community Center, 2810 Metropolitan Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas, 66106
Property tax rebate options are also available for seniors and people with disabilities.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
—
