Jackson County and the state of Missouri have settled their legal disputes over the county’s 2023 property tax assessments.
Many property owners saw their property taxes go up by more than 15% in 2023 — with some increases far above that — in violation of state law. In the three years since, the state and county have brought multiple suits against each other.
The state won its case last year, and now Jackson County will dismiss its appeal. The county will also maintain its corrected assessments and certify that it made the required adjustments to the 2023 and 2024 tax rolls.
Interim County Executive Phil LeVota said he’s been working with the State Tax Commission and Attorney General Catherine Hanaway for more than a year to bring an end to the litigation.
“For many years, the State Tax Commission was suing Jackson County, and at the same time, Jackson County was suing the state tax commission,” LeVota said. “So those two litigations have been going on for years with a position that I didn't take, the former administration did.”
LeVota made relief for the county’s taxpayers one of his top priorities when he was chosen to replace former executive Frank White Jr., who defended the county’s assessment process. White was removed from office in a historic recall fueled, in part, by residents’ anger over property taxes.
What the settlement means for property owners
Jackson County began sending tax bills to property owners this week. Residents can view their bills online, and hard copies will be mailed out starting next week.
Earlier this year, Jackson County agreed to cap increases at 15% to comply with the State Tax Commission ruling. The county is refunding property owners who paid their 2023 taxes based on higher values in the form of tax credits.
In a separate class action lawsuit, the county agreed to reimburse taxpayers who were unlawfully over-assessed, also in the form of tax credits.
The county is due for a reassessment again next year, when tax bills will likely go up once again because of high housing market values.
The county legislature codified the credits into county law, so they will continue to be automatically applied to residents' bills through 2028 regardless of any tax increases, the settlement or changes within the county government.
The settlement doesn’t change the tax credits, so property owners won’t see any additional relief. It does mean the county will stop spending taxpayer money on the lawsuits surrounding the assessments.
Last year, Jackson County voters decided to elect the assessor, changing it from the current process in which the county executive appoints the person who values and assesses property. A statewide vote codified the elected position into the state’s constitution.
Residents will vote for an assessor during the next general election in 2028.
LeVota said he’s working to get this year’s property tax bills out sooner than they’ve been released in recent years, and hopes this settlement marks an end to the county’s fight over assessments.
“We don't have to fight with the Attorney General's office and the State Tax Commission anymore,” LeVota said. “It's a complicated issue, and this is just another one of the steps we're wrapping up.”
