Earlier this summer, the Post asked our readers what issues you wanted to hear candidates running for Fairway City Council to address leading up to the Nov. 4 election.
Based on that feedback, we developed a five-item questionnaire centering the issues most important to Fairway residents.
Each day this week, we’re publishing the candidates’ responses to one question.
Today, we’re publishing candidates’ responses to the following question:
Property taxes: We frequently hear from readers urging cities to consider tax rate cuts or other relief to counteract the impacts of rising valuations in Johnson County. It’s the job of each city’s governing body to set your city’s annual mill levy, or property tax, rate. Is your city’s current tax rate appropriate for your city’s needs? Would you vote for steeper tax rate cuts, as residents often call for? Why or why not?
Below are the answers the Post received from candidates on this issue:
Ward 2
Dan Bailey (incumbent)
The fraction of a resident’s overall property tax bill actually going to the City of Fairway is relatively small. If you look at a monthly “Cost” going to Fairway, it has been demonstrated and explained on multiple occasions that the value an individual homeowner or family receives is a value for the services the city is responsible for providing. Yes, I do think that valuations and the overall tax burdens have increased much too fast in Johnson County as a whole, but that won’t be solved at the city level. With that being said, the city works from a zero based budget, analyzing hundreds of individual line items, and I do not see a need to raise the Mill Levy at any point in the future and would support small decreases to the Mill Levy if the budget allows it.
Emily Snyder
I support maintaining the current rate, but would like to explore a limited, targeted relief such as a senior tax rebate and/or a hardship fund. This idea sustains quality and would address equity concerns without compromising the quality of core services. Fairway’s mill levy of 19.93 mills is both fiscally conservative and operationally justified. Cutting it further would likely harm infrastructure upkeep, police staffing, and community amenities.
Ward 3
James Hafner
While Fairway’s mill levy has remained steady, rising property valuations suggest a need for review. We should assess budget priorities to potentially fund a Residential Exterior Home Improvement Grant for eligible homeowners. Seeking outside funding—such as for the Mission Rd. creek bed restoration—could help offset tax increases.
Bill Stafford
Fairway receives only 17% of the assessed property taxes paid by the residents which is set by Johnson County and State of Kansas. Fairway has no control over the annual property assessment. Because the city has no control over assessed property valuations, the city’s primary responsibility is to manage the portion that we do control: the mill levy.
Unlike several neighboring cities, Fairway has maintained a consistent mill rate for the past 10 years. In speaking with Ward 3 residents during my campaign, most people expressed that they are satisfied with the core services the city provides and feel they receive good value for their tax dollars.
I believe the current mill levy is appropriate for Fairway’s needs. I would prioritize keeping the mill levy stable while actively seeking ways to reduce costs and operate more efficiently. If future savings or increased revenues allow for responsible tax relief without compromising services, I would support it—but not at the expense of public safety or core infrastructure.
Ward 4
Kiel Corkran
I absolutely support looking into a rebate program or other ways to give residents relief from the high property tax rates that are especially burdensome to our retired seniors and residents on a fixed income. I do not think cutting the city’s mill levy is the answer, as our rate has remained flat for years while overall property taxes continue to rise, which as the Post acknowledged is due almost entirely to increased valuations. I think instead we need to approach the problem from that angle. While it’s true that the city can’t control the tax rate set by the county, there is something more Fairway can do to alleviate some of the rising costs specifically in our area, and it has to do with the big teardown/rebuild developments popping up across Fairway that have been a primary focus of my campaign. These luxury rebuilds — McMansions or monster houses as some residents call them — drive up the valuations of adjacent houses and cause everyone in the neighborhood to owe higher property taxes as a result. By getting these redevelopments under control we can slow down the sharp property tax increase and make things easier on Fairway residents. As for the portion of property tax that the city does collect, I think it is appropriate for our city’s needs but we must make sure those funds are going back into the community and being used wisely to maximize the benefit to our residents.
Tanya Keys (incumbent)
Did not provide the Post with a response.
