KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A new property tax cut proposal set forth by Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. has lawmakers fuming.
They're upset not only with the content, but also with White's absence from a meeting to discuss it.
White was not at Monday's meeting of the Jackson County Legislature less than 24 hours after his office released what Jackson County Legislator Dan Tarwater called a "BS proposal" to reduce property taxes.
Specifically, White's plan claims it would reduce taxes for roughly 200,000 property owners by $3 million.
But Tarwater and others noted that the Jackson County portion of residents' property tax bills only represent a small portion, and the reduction would only amount to a few dollars if that property stays at the same value.
Legislator Jalen Anderson called it "smoke and mirror politics," because it doesn't address the main issue of skyrocketing property values for many county residents.
Tarwater said many Jackson County residents will see an increase in property taxes despite any small cut in the county tax rate due to the increases in property values.
"On December 15th, as soon as people start getting their bills, they're going to say, 'Where's the $3 million?'" Tarwater said.
Anderson said the language in the release from White's office, citing property tax savings, was also insensitive and poorly timed.
He also took issue with the timing on a Sunday night, just hours before the legislature's Monday afternoon meeting but without that body's input.
"My God, have you been blind for the last few months?" Anderson asked White's staff at the meeting. "This is not how this government should work."
White's spokeswoman Marshanna Smith replied, "Does policy stop just because it's a weekend?"
But Anderson was only part of the chorus of legislators lobbing criticism toward White.
Legislator Crystal Williams said she's been overwhelmed with people complaining about skyrocketing property assessments. She said a small reduction in county property taxes won't keep people from losing their homes.
"I don't think you all have a clue just how mad people are out there," Williams said to White's staff.
While lawmakers were blowing off steam about White's proposal, White himself was in Nashville at a leadership conference sponsored by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.
A tweet put out by the chamber shows White seated in the front row of the crowd at the conference holding a beer.
Legislators believe the former Royals second baseman, who won eight Gold Gloves for his defense, made an error in judgment , by releasing the proposal then skipping the meeting a day later.
"I think it's a very bad decision not to be here," Tarwater said.
Jackson County Legislature Chair Theresa Galvin added "I think county business should've been more important than whatever he's doing in Nashville."
Both Tarwater and Galvin also said it's a pattern for White to be missing during key discussions of county business.
"Conversations can be had," Smith said. "Conversations just don't happen within the doors behind me."
Smith also defended White's track record of attendance at Jackson County Legislature meetings.
Fallout from the property tax value debate also put a roughly $9 million management plan to build a new Jackson County Jail on hold.
Lawmakers tabled the idea, citing objections from constituents facing growing tax bills.
