KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced Wednesday the state and Jackson County officials reached a settlement in the Jackson County property tax assessment case.
The settlement in the case ends the state's litigation that resulted from the 2023 Jackson County property tax assessment process.
“At a time when families across Missouri are stretching every dollar and watching their household budgets more closely than ever, government has a responsibility to safeguard taxpayers, not make life harder for them,” Hanaway said in a news release. “When local governments get it wrong, Missouri families should not be the ones who pay the price. Whether we’re stopping unlawful property tax practices or defending tax relief for homeowners, we will keep fighting to protect taxpayers’ wallets and make sure government officials follow the law.”
The news release from Hanaway's office said the county "used flawed assessment practices, failed to follow state law and missed required notice deadline for extreme tax increases on tens of thousands of property owners."
Under the settlement, the county agreed to dismiss its appeal, maintain corrected assessments and certify that required adjustments were made.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Jackson County property value assessments
Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota sent KSHB 41 News a statement on Wednesday's announcement, stating he welcomes the settlement.
"I was pleased to enter into an agreement resolving the litigation between Jackson County and the Missouri State Tax Commission. This is another significant victory for my administration in addressing the property tax debacle that has impacted Jackson County taxpayers.
"I want to thank Attorney General Catherine Hanaway and her staff, along with the Missouri State Tax Commission, for their cooperation. When I took office a year ago, we found ourselves on the same side, working toward a common goal: protecting taxpayers, correcting past issues and making taxpayers whole."
LeVota said the county is following the the directives of the Missouri State Tax Commission, including corrective measures addressing residential assessment increases over 15%.
The Jackson County Legislature and LeVota worked together to create a property tax credit program. It provides relief to eligible taxpayers who experienced property tax increases during the 2023 reassessment, according to a news release from LeVota's office.
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