Tax Planning

Theres a new push to give Jackson County homeowners some relief on their upcoming property tax bills.Legislators Sean Smith and Manny Abarca are working on a plan to cut the countys levy or tax rate.It comes after tens of thousands of homeowners challenged their property valuations last year.One of them is Paul Rojas, a Korean War veteran and former Missouri state lawmaker.Last year, Jackson County claimed the value of Rojas 135-year-old home in Kansas Citys west side increased two and a half times from the previous assessment.The effort they claimed to have looked at the property as its true value was a farce; it was an insult to us, Rojas said.”If you’re over 60, you are twice as likely to get an increase of 50 percent or more; theres some sort of problem with that, Smith said.Rojas is one of the lucky ones.He was part of a group of people in his neighborhood able to successfully challenge their assessments.They can afford to pay their tax bills.Not everyone can.On Monday, the Jackson County Legislature heard input from the public on the countys levy or tax rates.Legislators Smith and Abarca would like to cut that rate to give Jackson County homeowners some relief on their tax bills, including seniors.People who didn’t expect to receive these 200 or 100 percent increases consistently for six years that’s a pretty big challenge; it’s driving people out of the county, Abarca said.”They have to choose between taxes and bread; especially in today’s times, it’s a burden that shouldn’t be there, Rojas said.Smith and Abarca are still working on the tax cut details.Theyll need to get it figured out and passed at the next meeting of the legislature on Sept. 30 to beat the Oct. 1 deadline.Smith said there are likely five votes to pass the tax levy reduction and possibly a sixth vote to override a likely veto from Jackson County Executive Frank White.