KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics on both sides of the state line. If you have a story idea to share, you can send Charlie an email at charlie.keegan@kshb.com.
Jackson County, Missouri, voters will not get to decide in November whether to make the county assessor's job an elected position.
County Executive Frank White vetoed a proposal from legislators. last week.
Currently, White appoints the county assessor.
Jackson County is the only county in Missouri which does not elect an assessor.
In a letter dated August 29, White explained his reasons for vetoing ordinance 5864, which the legislature passed on August 19.
White said choosing the assessor is not about winning a popularity contest. His letter states the proposal did not set requirements for assessor candidates. White also raised concerns about how to replace the assessor if the elected assessor cannot finish their term.
“It’s imperative the selection of our County Assessor remains a process rooted in qualifications, experience, and integrity - rather than the whims of a political campaign,” White wrote.
Jackson County Assessor Gail McCann Beatty has taken much of the heat for the messy 2023 property assessment process.
A record number of property owners appealed their assessments. The process led to a state audit, several lawsuits (many of which have since been dismissed), and orders from the State Tax Commission.
White and McCann Beatty stand by the 2023 assessment process.
Timmy Tilton is one of the thousands who filed an appeal in 2023. He was satisfied with the results of his appeal; the county settled on increasing his assessment 8% from 2021 instead of their originally proposed increase of 30%.
Still, Tilton sees value in making the assessor an elected position.
“If their job was on the line every couple or four years, they would be more responsive to the needs of the taxpayers,” Tilton said.
It’s possible the legislature could override White’s veto and place the question on a ballot during a different election. But it takes six of the nine legislators to override a veto. Only five legislators voted in favor of the proposal in August.
