taxes

The new Pennway Point entertainment district, which makes use of space that sat empty for years as industrial storage, is already making some neighbors in the Westside neighborhood uneasy. Developers are building the project without using tax money, but say they plan to seek incentives for the years ahead.

This week, Jackson County assessment director Gail McCann Beatty fielded questions from the legislature about this year’s problematic property assessments, which saw the value of properties increase by an average of 30%.

Jackson County’s Community Backed Anti-Crime Tax, or COMBAT, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The first-of-its-kind program has been lauded for its contributions to crime reduction. But, with gun deaths climbing each year, it's challenging to measure whether the money makes a difference.

The police raid on the Marion County Record potentially violated federal law and constitutional rights. It could leave taxpayers covering a big legal settlement.

Even though back-to-school expenses are projected to be higher than ever, Missouri’s tax-free weekend and free community events allow Kansas Citians to save money.

A decade after Missouri's film tax credit program expired, Gov. Mike Parson signed into law the Show MO Act to offer incentives for movie productions. David Dastmalchion, an Overland Park actor who recently starred in "Oppenheimer," hopes that will lead to more projects being shot here.

When Kansas lawmakers legalized sports betting, they seemingly gave lobbyists for casinos everything they wanted. That includes tax exemptions on promotional bets that are aimed at getting bettors hooked.

A State Tax Commission hearing officer ruled the county overvalued 20 properties on the Plaza in 2019 by almost $113 million. If the ruling is upheld on appeal, taxing districts in Jackson County might have to refund millions of dollars. The shopping district is also planning to appeal its 2023 reassessment.

Missouri municipalities can no longer charge local taxes on the back-to-school tax holiday, which will happen Aug. 4-6. Teachers and students say it will help them save money.

The bipartisan bill, exempting Social Security benefits and public pension payments from income tax, would reduce state general revenue by an estimated $309 million annually.

The month the Chiefs won the Super Bowl, Kansans made $194 million in wagers. Yet the state only got $1,134 in revenue. That's because of how Kansas' new sports betting law is structured, which lets casinos write off significant promotional expenses.

A steep increase in assessed property tax value has some Jackson County residents concerned they could lose their home. Experts share ways to challenge the assessment through individual appeals and legal action.