Earlier this summer, the Post asked our readers what issues you wanted to hear candidates running for Prairie Village 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 Prairie Village 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 1
Daniel Garrett
Did not provide the Post with a response.
Cole Robinson (incumbent)
As a homeowner, I’ve felt the increases in property taxes alongside residents in Prairie Village, both during and before my time on the City Council. In my first term, I’ve been proud to support two cuts to the city’s property tax rate (mill levy), with these two reductions being the only ones passed in PV in at least the last 20 years. For 2026, Prairie Village will receive about 16% of your overall tax bill and it comes out to $75 a month for the median resident.
Nonetheless, we know that some Prairie Village residents are struggling with increasing property tax bills. The city created an income-based property tax relief program late in 2021, and I’ve been supportive of repeated enhancements and expansions of this program. This program returns the full municipal portion of a resident’s taxes and is around $500 per recipient. More information is available on our city’s website, where we also have grant programs for sustainability and exterior grant investments for homeowners.
This past year, I served as Chair of the Finance Committee and participated in the internal budget meetings with our department leaders. I watched firsthand how our spending decisions are reviewed line item by line item as the budget is built from the ground up. As we navigate a complex economic environment, where city expenses strongly outpace inflation – especially around public safety and infrastructure – Prairie Village is always looking to balance the continued safety and upkeep of our wonderful community as we make decisions around taxes.
Ward 2
Edward Boersma
Rising government spending is the driving force behind higher property taxes. Property taxes have increased because spending across all taxing subdivisions has gone up. If local governments managed spending more responsibly, property taxes would not rise dramatically even with the rise of property assessments.
Over the past five years the Prairie Village City budget has increased by over 40%. For the past two years, Prairie Village has operated with a surplus, collecting more tax dollars than it needs to function. The quickest way to provide tax relief is to stop operating with a surplus.
Finally, keeping real estate taxes under control must be a top priority. City property tax revenues have increased by two to three times the rate of inflation. By reducing and in some cases eliminating the growth of city expenses, while managing projects responsibly, we can reduce city property taxes and ensure that Prairie Village remains a beautiful single-family community that protects our seniors and attracts new, young families.
Ron Nelson (incumbent)
As we often hear from critics of the City Council, Prairie Village is a landlocked residential city. Unlike every other first class city in Johnson County, Prairie village has few areas of commercial development—and that is primarily our three shopping centers and some office space. Prairie Village does not have – and does not desire to have “big box stores,” automobile dealerships, or other similar high tax dollar commercial tax revenue. And that’s what Prairie Village residents prefer—a residential city with walkable neighborhoods, neighborhood centers, and “in-scale” office and business centers. That means that the vast majority of property taxes is shouldered by residential properties rather than commercial properties. During my eight year tenure on City Council, we have voted to reduce the city’s mill level twice — a one-mill reduction in 2022 and a one-quarter mill levy reduction in 2025. Our finance committee discussed larger reductions in the mill-levy, but decided to hold the line at a one-quarter reduction to protect the city’s financial standing from unwise polcies at the state and federal levels over which we have no control.
Ward 3
Amy Aldrich
No, I don’t believe Prairie Village’s current tax rate reflects responsible spending. While the mill levy hasn’t increased, rising property values mean residents are paying more.
I believe the city needs to cut spending and focus on core services that directly impact residents, like public safety, infrastructure, and neighborhood improvements. I do not support using taxpayer dollars for charitable donations, which is what City Council has approved many times in the past. While giving is important, it should come from individuals, and not city budgets. I also do not support the new City Hall without giving the residents a right to vote! I also do not appreciate that residents are still being taxed for expired bonds and the city continues to spend on non-essential items.
Prairie Village is a built-out community, and our spending should reflect that. Residents deserve a government that respects and prioritizes their needs and money.
Shelby Bartelt
I understand why residents are frustrated about rising property taxes. My own family’s bill went up about 40 percent after we purchased our home in 2023, so I’ve felt that same pressure many families and seniors are feeling.
What often gets lost in the conversation is that Prairie Village controls only a small portion of the overall tax bill. Most of what we pay goes to schools, the county, and other agencies. Even so, we have a responsibility to manage our share carefully and transparently.
I’m committed to making sure every dollar we collect directly benefits residents and protects long-term value. In the past five years, the median home in Prairie Village has appreciated roughly $125,000, showing that our investments in safety, infrastructure, and city services are helping preserve what is for most residents their largest source of wealth — their home.
I’ll continue to look for efficiencies and opportunities to reduce costs where we can, without cutting into the essential services that keep our neighborhoods safe and strong. Fiscal responsibility, clear communication, and protecting the long-term stability of our community will guide every decision I make.
Ward 4
Kelly Sullivan Angles
Prairie Village residents have experienced significant property tax increases in recent years, up 28% from 2023-2026. Property tax increases are directly related to city spending and debt. I am in favor of, and will make a priority, more responsible city spending that supports city services while providing opportunities for property tax relief, a meaningful reduction in the mill levy, and elimination of tax assessments for bond issues once they expire.
Nathan Vallette
I understand the frustration many homeowners feel when property values rise faster than paychecks. It’s the envelope you dread opening — the one that reminds you how much more expensive “home” has become. At the same time, Prairie Village delivers a very high level of service: professional police, clean and well-maintained parks, dependable snow removal, and infrastructure that people rely on every day. Those things cost money, and keeping them strong requires stable, predictable funding.
Our city’s mill levy has stayed relatively consistent in recent years, even as material and staffing costs have gone up. That’s a sign of careful management, but it also means there’s not a lot of extra room to cut without consequences. I believe the right approach is disciplined and balanced — keep looking for efficiencies, pursue grants and outside funding, and explore targeted relief for residents who are most impacted by valuation spikes, especially seniors on fixed incomes.
Because I’m not part of any slate or political faction, I’ll look at the numbers and make decisions case by case — not based on pressure from a group or outside interest. Prairie Village deserves thoughtful, independent leadership when it comes to your tax dollars.
Ward 5
John Beeder
Absolutely. I will actively support reduced property taxes. Prairie Village spending has increased 40% over the past five years … more than double the growth of the previous five years. As a result, property tax collections are up more than 20% in just the last two years. That level of spending is neither sustainable nor necessary. The city lacks fiscal discipline, and until that changes, residents will continue to feel an increasing burden. If we control spending responsibly, tax relief will follow. Families live within their means, and our city should too.
Betsy Lawrence
As a candidate, it’s easy to promise property tax cuts. But real common sense requires more than political gestures. We can adjust the mill levy, but to make a real difference on an individual’s property tax bill, it would take a significant cut – and that means significant cuts from the city budget. Unless we increase revenues from another source, that’s the only option. Could we raise sales taxes or bring in high-volume big box stores or car dealerships? Sure, but I don’t think that’s a tradeoff any of us wants to make.
When 84% of our property taxes go somewhere else and only 16% actually stay in Prairie Village, we have to be honest and specific about what lowering property taxes really means – what city services are we willing to give up and, as importantly, does it provide meaningful tax relief to the individual property owner? Sure, we could stop snow plowing residential streets or forgo upgrades to our parks (remember when we had porta-potties instead of running water for our kids to wash their hands?). But if that saves the individual taxpayer $10 a year, is that worth it?
My focus is on taxpayer value. That requires setting priorities, eliminating waste, and planning ahead so every tax dollar truly benefits our residents. Smart investment in sustainable infrastructure is also an effective way to protect public funds. By making thoughtful, future-focused decisions now, we’ll keep our community strong, resilient, and ready for the next generation.
Ward 6
Dan Prussing
Did not provide the Post with a response.
Jim Sellers
First, it’s important to remember that Prairie Village only accounts for 16% of our total property tax bill. This works out to about $70/month for the median Ward 6 residents. Of that, about $50 month (72%) goes to support police, roads, and parks. The remaining $20/month goes to administration, overhead, IT, and related infrastructure to run the city. Prairie Village residents enjoy a low crime rate, great parks, well-maintained roads, a superior school system, and an enviable location in the KC metro area. Based on these outcomes I feel that Prairie Village delivers strong value for its share of property taxes. Further, when you break down the allocation of tax dollars I question whether residents could expect meaningful tax relief without measurably impacting quality of life. As City Council member I’ll insist on budgets that deliver value for residents, but I won’t
pretend that it’s possible to cut taxes in a meaningful way without cutting services.
