KSHB 41 News anchor Taylor Hemness reports on stories across Kansas, including a focus on consumer issues. You can contact Taylor by email.
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Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota is working to pass legislation at the state level that would freeze some property taxes in Jackson County for the next two years.
But he's running out of time to make it happen.
LeVota sent a letter on Saturday, May 2, to the four state senators who represent Jackson County. The letter also went to Gov. Mike Kehoe, House Speaker Jon Patterson (R-Lee's Summit) and Minority Leader Ashley Aune (D-Kansas City).
READ | LeVota's tax freeze letter
LeVota's proposal would freeze the county's residential property taxes for 2027 and 2028, so people would pay exactly what they paid in 2026. He says the move would allow for the new executive (to be elected this year) and the new county assessor (to be elected in 2028) to put a new tax policy and assessment process in place.
"Every property owner would know what they paid in '26, and they could budget for it in '27, '28," LeVota told me on Tuesday afternoon. "No surprises like what's been going on the last 10 years. So, I'm hoping we can have bipartisan support, and maybe get something done in these last days of the Jefferson City legislative session."
LeVota admitted the county has been the "poster child for bad tax policy over the past five years," which has been discussed "a lot" in Jefferson City.
But the chances of success are not high, as the state's legislative session ends on May 15.
RELATED | KSHB 41's coverage of property value assessments in Jackson County
I reached out to all four Jackson County state senators on Tuesday. I didn't get a response from Sen. Patty Lewis, and a spokesperson for Sen. Mike Cierpiot declined to comment.
I did speak directly with Sens. Barbara Washington and Joe Nicola. Washington, a Democrat, told me that she had not seen the letter as of 2:30 p.m. Tuesday because she'd been in budget committee hearings. Nicola told me that he supports the plan from LeVota, but it would need to be attached to another bill before the end of the session, and that's not likely to happen.
I also spoke to Speaker Patterson on Tuesday afternoon. He, like Nicola, supports the plan.
"I agree with LeVota that giving residents some certainty is a reasonable thing to do," Patterson said. "Anything is possible, but it's very unlikely."
Patterson and Nicola both told me that Democratic members of the Jackson County delegation in Jefferson City would oppose the plan.
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