KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.
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The Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas' clerk says there's a way thousands of residents can see the Board of Public Utilities PILOT fee removed from their bills.
Monica Sparks, the Unified Government clerk, says the county's tax rebate program is a way for residents to seek financial relief they may have been unaware of, as well of up to hundreds of dollars worth of rebates.
"For our office, this is like the crown jewel of what we do," Sparks said.
The qualifications for the sales tax rebate include:
- Being a resident of the city of Kansas City, Kansas;
- Being sixty-five or disabled on January 1, 2025;
- Having income $42,600 or below (Some disability income may be excluded)
The utility rebate qualifications are the same, expect it's open to all Wyandotte County residents, not just those in Kansas City, Kansas.
In addition, residents must be BPU ratepayers or pay gas or telecommunications services.
The funding for the rebates comes from the PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) fee payments and the Unified Government's general fund, which Sparks said was not impacted by the commission's vote to remain revenue neutral in July.
Sparks' job is to sit in on each commission meeting, and she hears the same things they do.
"Citizens were just worn out, they were just frustrated," Sparks said. "What they say to us is heartbreaking."
Sparks also encourages qualifying residents and Wyandotte County homeowners to apply for the state-funded property tax rebate, which would mean these residents would get back a portion of their property taxes.
"We’ve had people say, 'You know what, because of this program, I can now go buy pet food, I can now go buy my medicine.'"
If you qualify for the utility tax rebate, you'll also quality for BPU PILOT relief from June 1, 2025 until June 1, 2026.
This means that fee will be removed from bills for that year-long period, and residents can apply the next year for the same discount.
Issues surrounding the PILOT fee arose in the fall of 2024, when county leaders promised the fee would be removed from customer bills by Oct. 1, but it wasn't.
The last public joint meeting between the Unified Government and the Board of Public Utilities to discuss this issue was Oct. 30, and that fee is still on customer bills as of Wednesday.
Sparks says while the utility rebate doesn't apply to all residents, it is a solution to this long-standing problem that could benefit thousands of residents.
"What we've run into is that a lot of people feel like maybe it's a scam because governments don't give you money back," Sparks said. "It just doesn't happen, so people weren't applying."
Last year was the first year the BPU PILOT fee removal and increased income requirement were a part of the rebate program.
Sparks says residents could still expect some type of fee reduction, but it was a commission vote that resulted in the newer changes.
"Last year was the best year we ever had, and we had over 1,000 applications," Sparks said. "There are so many more people that we know qualify."
Melva Crum-Sanders falls into that category.
"It means that I could do some of the things that I would really like to do our enjoy doing besides worrying about paying bills, Crum-Sanders said.
She's been living in Wyandotte County for decades, and at age 74, she's a widow and retired from being a hairdresser.
"I get one check a month, and it just barely covers everything that I need," Crum-Sanders said. "It's like Lord, how do I do this?"
Crum-Sanders knew nothing about the rebate program before KSHB 41 spoke with her, but that lack of awareness is a battle Sparks knows well.
"This has been since 1976, so there's a lack of communication in here somewhere," Sparks said. "We’re trying, we’re trying to get it out there."
Residents can submit the necessary documents by mail or in person at four different locations.
To learn more about where these locations are located, visit the Clerk’s Office website.
The office can be reached at (913)-573-5260 and is located on the third floor of City Hall at 701 North 7th Street, Suite 323.
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