KANSAS CITY, Mo — The Missouri State Tax Commission ordered some Jackson County properties that were assessed in 2023 to be rolled back.
The move comes amid a legal battle between Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and the county over the way property assessments were handled last year.
In the order, the commission ruled that the county violated state statute when it failed to properly perform physical inspections and notify owners of their rights when one was completed on properties whose values were raised by 15% or more.
"The order requires rollback of the 2023 assessments to current levels or a 15% increase from the 'last' assessment, whichever is less," a statement from Bailey's office said. "In most cases, this means rollback to the 2021 assessment level plus 15%. In a small percentage of cases, it means rollback to the 2022 assessment level (to capture new construction) plus 15%."
This means that any assessment value that increased by 15% or more must rolled back.
The commission noted in its order Jackson County assessing officials did not notify most property owners that a physical inspection was required and did not provide the owner clear written notice of the owner's rights to the physical inspection, including the property owner's right to an interior inspection during the physical inspection.
More problems found by the commission included many of the notices sent to "property owners were undated and, on the face of the notices, did not include the percentage change in assessed valuation and did not provide the property owners with no less than 30 days to notify the Assessor of a request for an interior inspection," the order states.
The county slammed the order from the commission, calling it "politically motivated and inaccurate." Jackson County vowed to fight the ruling.
"For too long, many homes have been undervalued, forcing others to overpay," Jackson County Assessor Gail McCann Beatty said in response to the commission's order. "We cannot and will not allow this injustice to continue. We will do our jobs and uphold the law by assessing properties at market value, regardless of these political games."
A news release from the county states the consequences of the order would be "disastrous" for our community. Local school districts, the release states, say the order could cost them $1,500 per student.
The county says that would be a "crippling blow to our education system."
In 2023, hundreds of residents were shocked and upset by a jump in their property value assessments.
COMPLETE COVERAGE | Jackson County property value assessments
Reactions triggered multiple lawsuits against the county and caused many residents to speak out and dispute the increases.
On Wednesday, Bailey's office filed a motion to have the lawsuit against the county dismissed, citing the ruling from the commission.
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