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Jackson County, Missouri legislators push for property tax relief [Video]
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Small Business Lifestyle

Jackson County, Missouri legislators push for property tax relief [Video]

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.

Bartlett steps up in a big way for families after fire [Video]
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Small Business Lifestyle

Bartlett steps up in a big way for families after fire [Video]

BARTLETT, Tenn. A massive fire at an apartment complex in Bartlett is bringing the community together. Families at the Quail Ridge Apartments that have been displaced are now moving into new homes and restarting their lives from scratch. Multiple families lost everything, but Quail Ridge Church of Christ and other churches in the area are working []

New Orleans City Park coyote concerns in Lakeview [Video]
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Small Business Lifestyle

New Orleans City Park coyote concerns in Lakeview [Video]

Lakeview residents continue to sound the alarm about a dangerous pack of coyotes near City Park. A bulletin was sent to Lakeview residents over the weekend after a pack of coyotes ate a family of ducks in the 6800 block of General Diaz. Video showed the coyotes roaming in people’s front yards as well as walking down sidewalks in front of homes. According to Val Cupit with Lakeview Crimewatch, over 20 coyotes were seen at their den on Marconi Drive. Cupit is urging residents in the neighborhood to be vigilant and keep pets and children inside. This is not the first time Cupit has voiced concerns about the coytoes in Lakeview. Just last month, she spoke with WDSU after her pet was killed by a coyote. After that incident, City Park told WDSU they were working with the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to address the coyote problem. WDSU reached out to City Park about the recent sightings, and received this response: “City Park Conservancy is working with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, which did a site visit to the Park to survey coyote activity and identify areas in the Park where they may be living.”Consistent with a wildlife mitigation/containment plan supplied by LDWF, CPC is trapping the animals and making areas of the Park less hospitable to coyotes. CPC staff are securing unnatural food sources for these wild animals, including garbage left behind by Park visitors, and practicing deterrent tactics or hazing such as using loud noises to encourage coyotes to leave the area.”CPC is committed to continuing to minimize the presence of coyotes in the Park and asks for the publics help. Park visitors and neighbors are asked to keep pets on a leash, secure their own garbage in bins with tight lids and refrain from leaving food sources like cat food outside.”If a visitor is approached by a coyote, the Humane Society of the United States advises people to be loud and large, yelling and waving arms so the animals know to not approach. Anyone who sees a coyote in their neighborhood should report it to the New Orleans Department of Mosquito, Rodent and Termite Control at 504-658-2400 or mosquitocontrol@nola.gov.”For more information on coyotes, visit the LDWFs website and learn more about Living with Coyotes.”