KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. said Thursday he believes he's an unfair target for criticism regarding rising property taxes in the Kansas City Public School district.
The KCPS Board of Directors voted Wednesday to maintain its current tax levy, which could result in up to $7 million in additional revenue for the district.
That money will come from property owners whose assessed valuations rose by an average of 24% this year.
Ahead of the vote, Board of Directors Treasurer Manny Abarca blamed White and the county for the difficult decision facing the district.
"This is a very challenging position and a failure of leadership from that level," Abarca said. "To pit neighbors against their school district is completely and utterly disgusting."
In an interview with 41 Action News on Thursday, White said he was "disappointed" by Abarca's comment and pointed to the board's decision to decline to roll back the levy.
"Every time someone makes a decision, 'Oh, let's blame the county for that decision,’” White said. “No, the county is doing the process we've been doing for a long time, and the process is working right now.”
White alleged the "hysteria that started at the beginning" of the assessment process was politically motivated.
"I wish that hadn't been so dramatic, and I think it put a lot of stress on folks in the beginning before the process even got started," he said.
Despite 40,000 appeals to the Board of Equalization, White believes there are plenty of other residents who aren't upset with their assessments.
"I talked to a lot of people who are OK with their properties going up, but just the amount they think they may have to pay, they won't know what the number is until the taxing jurisdictions set the levies," he said.
According to KCPS, a taxpayer living in a $100,000 home with an average increase in value will end up paying $230 more in school property taxes. The KCPS levy makes up about half of a homeowner’s total property tax bill.
Charles O. Lona, a longtime Westside resident who's leading the charge to scrap the latest assessments and return to the 2017 values, said he believes the true political storm for Jackson County is on its way.
"I'm telling you, there's a tsunami building, and it's going to hit November 1 when people get their bills," Lona said.
Meanwhile, White has proposed a one-time $3 million property tax cut for Jackson County. For a $100,000 home, owners would save about $20.
Although White described it as a "substantial tax cut" in a news release announcing the proposal, the county executive told 41 Action News it was never intended to address concerns surrounding the assessment.
He was not present at Monday's Jackson County Legislature meeting, where his proposal was discussed. White was in Nashville for a trip with the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.
"Technically I don't even have to go to the meetings, but I go because I'm curious about what's going on in the county," White said. ”I don't think that's a trip that should have been canceled for the meeting."
