In June, we asked our readers about the issues you wanted to hear the candidates running for Board of County Commissioners chair address in the lead up to the August 2 primary.
Based on your feedback, we developed a five-item questionnaire touching on the most important issues facing the commission and impacting the residents of Johnson County.
All four candidates running in this nonpartisan race to succeed outgoing commission chair Ed Eilert have responded to your questions. The top two vote-getters in the August 2 primary will move on to the general election.
Each day this week, we will publish the candidates’ responses to one of the five questions from our readers, starting with this questions about what the commission can do to control rising property values and taxes:
Sharply increasing property values and associated taxes are a major concern for many of our readers. One sent us the following: ‘My biggest concern is how the ever increasing value of my home has caused my property taxes to go up so much. I have a small house in Prairie Village. We are retired and our property taxes have more than doubled in five years. This is a big financial burden for us… It’s great that my home value has increased, but I would like the candidates to discuss what they would do to help with property tax relief for existing homeowners. Or perhaps some relief for elderly or lower income residents.’ How would you respond to this reader?
Shirley Allenbrand
Two years ago, when I ran for the county commission, one of my priorities was to work with the state to support a cap on seniors’ property taxes except for inflation. There has been some progress in that area.
Effective July 1, the Homestead Property Tax Refund Claims went into effect for homeowners over 65 or disabled veterans. It provides for refund claims to be paid for the amount by which the residential property tax exceeds the amount of the property tax in the base year. In addition, I voted for a mill levy roll back last year although Chairman Eilert and I advocated for more than actually passed. This year I will support a one-mill property tax roll back.
Our ability to roll back more is dependent on several parts to our budgeting and taxing processes. First, we must maintain the AAA bond ratings as they allow us to borrow money at the lowest interest rate to save the taxpayers money. Second, shortly after being elected I worked for six months to consolidate two fire districts and put Med-Act in fire stations. Those two efficiencies saved the county money. Third, the county was able to save $28M on the recent Turkey Creek expansion. So, we have to attack this issue on several fronts.
Mike Kelly
We are all feeling the squeeze of rising costs — and taxes. As Johnson County homeowners, my wife and I understand the concern of rising property tax bills. That’s why I’ve worked hard to relieve the burden of rising property taxes for residents. As Mayor of Roeland Park, I’ve cut property tax rates twice — without cutting back on city services or staff. And we’re finalizing this year’s budget that will cut tax rates for the third time since I took office.
These rate cuts were possible thanks to strong economic growth in our city. We welcomed new businesses, including two new health care facilities, without the de facto use of tax incentives. With the increased tax revenue these new businesses generated, we were able to relieve the burden on our residents while also adding career opportunities and quality medical care options.
As Chair of the Johnson County Commission, I will work to provide tax relief for all of our residents by expanding our economy, finding opportunities for collaboration with federal, state, and municipal partners and being a good steward of community resources.
Charlotte O’Hara
I have been explaining to my colleagues on the board of county commissioners that the raising taxes through the reappraisal process is extremely regressive because lower-priced homes increase at a much higher rate that upper bracket homes. Also taxing these unrealized gains is extremely problematic: your value goes up, but your income remains the same. There is no correlation between the increase in your property’s value and your income.
What can the county do?
- Roll back the mill levy to a zero-sum increase (after consumer price index increase) on the average increase in value. This isn’t a perfect answer, but the real answer lies in getting our county budget under control. Since 2013 our overall budget, including reserves has gone from $815 million to $1.651 billion, more than doubling in 10 years. The residents of this county cannot continue to absorb these tremendous increases in county spending.
- Veto Tax Increment Finance Districts. These tax giveaway schemes currently shelter $2.8 billion of real estate in Johnson County. Why should wealthy developers be sheltered for 20 years before their tax dollars go into the public coffers? TIFs and Industrial Revenue Bonds are eroding our tax base and increasing property taxes for existing businesses and residents.
Ken Selzer
My campaign for county chair is focused on fiscal responsibility. I am a CPA, a former business executive and also your former Kansas state Insurance Commissioner.
I will represent and advocate for Johnson County residents from county line to county line. A significant majority of residents throughout the county are rightfully concerned about property taxes. This is especially true for older homeowners as well as with those with more modest incomes.
I have had success in managing costs in both the private and public sectors. As your Kansas Insurance Commissioner, I reduced operating costs, improved customer service and consolidated two important state offices to reduce the cost to taxpayers.
We will do the same for Johnson County government. Unless the person leading the organization is focused fully and always on making operations more efficient and accountable, we will never be in a position to realize the property tax savings that so many in the county think we should achieve.
The current commission proudly points to the reduction in the mill level as an accomplishment, yet your and my property taxes continue to go up. Johnson County needs a CPA and a businessman to find more efficiencies so that property taxes don’t increase so much every year.
There are programs available at the state level for property tax relief for older homeowners with modest incomes, including one that was expanded this past session. We will monitor all programs to make sure our citizens are treated fairly, without major cost shifts to other taxpayers.
Johnson County especially needs a leader who has already proven he can reduce costs for citizens while achieving better results. No other candidate has this experience.
On Tuesday, we will publish the candidates’ responses to the second question:
Another reader asks the following: “Housing costs in once very affordable neighborhoods are escalating beyond reason, and we have ‘luxury’ apartments going up everywhere that don’t help the situation at all. What do you plan to do?” How would you address these concerns? What can Johnson County do to ensure people who don’t have high household incomes can afford to live here?
