KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A seat to a Jackson County tax appeal workshop was a hot commodity Tuesday evening at the Robert Mohart Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
Hundreds of people showed up for a third workshop to learn more about appealing their property value assessments, with the line stretching outside the door.
The center reached its capacity of 400, and people were lining up outside hoping to get a seat, according to KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson.
This is the line out the door. I’m told capacity is 400. Safe to say they’re at their limit. A security guard just asked for someone to give a 93-year-old a seat. @KSHB41 pic.twitter.com/spjO5c1KrW
— Alyssa Jackson KSHB 41 (@thealyssaj) June 27, 2023
It was so full inside the meeting, a security guard had asked someone to give up a seat for a 93-year-old.
One-by-one people stepped up to the mic to question how this happened.
Gregg Kolase stepped out and told us he has appealed in the past, but this situation for him is a first.
"A few of the properties I have are in excess of a 200% increase in market value," Kolase, who filed an appeal, said.
His reaction to that is about what you would expect.
"Anger. I think was the initial reaction, but confusion was probably the more long-term lasting reaction," he said.
The interest from Jackson County residents comes after many people have reported their assessments have skyrocketed.
"The county did not learn their lesson and we were put back in this situation again," said Stacey Johnson-Cosby, a Kansas City realtor and event organizer, referring to issues in 2019.
People spent hours hoping someone can help figure out why this happened and what they can do about it.
"The market value that's on my paper says $98,000, but the assessor said it's $214,000," said a resident who showed up at the workshop.
The pressure is on Jackson County.
"Roll it back and get it right," Johnson-Cosby said.
While this is the third and final workshop, volunteers will have to assist the community they said they believe they've made a difference. Each one of their workshops were at capacity.
The deadline to file an appeal is July 10. People are still trying to get the state to extend that deadline.
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