KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A day after more than a thousand people showed up at a tax appeal workshop, residents brought their arguments for lower property tax assessments to Jackson County officials.
"Lived in my house 15 years and this was the first time it's gone up like, oh my God, 60%," said Sean Duong, among the crowd appealing their property assessment.
Another man who came to argue for a lower bill won his case.
"They assessed my property at 56% higher than last year. We got it down to a reasonable level. Went from $235,000 to $275,000 instead of $360,000," said Milo Farnajm.
A room full of people in a building on the west side of downtown KCMO hoped for the same outcome.
Duong said he did not know what to expect and spent most of his day with other people with concerns about their property assessements
"It's costing time. People are taking off work. I know they try their best, but it can be better," Duong said.
This is an issue KSHB 41 covered extensively in 2019 and four years later, the problems are back.
People fear skyrocketing property values will mean the same fate for their tax bill.
But there could be some relief on the way.
Missouri lawmakers passed a in their 2023 session a bill to allow property taxes to be frozen by counties and cities for property owners 65 and older.
Governor Parson has not signed the legislation.
"I'm 91 and I thought well maybe they're jacking it way up because they won't be able to get it increased as long as I'm alive," Fanajm said.
As someone who heard tax appeals in the past, Stacy Johnson-Cosby is part of the community trying to educate people on what to do to try to get their assessments lowered.
She blames the county for past and present problems.
"They've had four years and still didn't get it right,' Johnson-Cosby said. "Our taxpayer dollars are being wasted in the systems they're using."
Farnajm said if it didn't go his way, he'd have no other choice than to pay if his taxes went up.
But he made his case and came away feeling much better than he did earlier in the morning,.
The appeal process is over if a taxpayer and the assessment department reach an agreement on the value of a property.
If you still want to appeal the assessment, you'll have a hearing with the board of equalization. Those hearings start July 10th. That's also the deadline for filing an appeal.
Given the huge turnout at the first assessment workshop, organizers are strongly encouraging people to join them virtually.
You can register here.
There will be two more workshops for people who need information about filing an appeal.
The next workshop is Saturday, June 24, from 11am to 3:00pm at the Robert Mohart Center, 3200 Wayne Ave., in KCMO.
The final workshop will be on June 27 from 5:30pm to 8:00pm at 28Event Space, 1300 W. 28 St. in KCMO.
