Kansans asking lawmakers to help limit property tax increases

TOPEKA (KSNT) — Kansas counties are beginning to send out property tax rate notices to Kansas citizens, and some are reporting big jumps in their rates.

Kansans statewide have taken to social media to share what their property tax increases are, with some reporting a 10%, even 20% increase in just one year. Many are asking the Kansas legislature to do more to limit these increases.

Currently, the state of Kansas allows local counties to determine property tax rates and is one of the few states that does not have a statewide limit on how much counties can increase property taxes.

We spoke with Michael Austin, an Economist and a lecturer at Washburn University. He wants the legislature to do more to hold counties accountable and allow for citizens to vote on tax increases.

“People who really want a property tax hike should vote for it, instead of it being done between county commissioners, city leaders, and the school board.”

Additionally, he tells us that he’s experiencing a significant property tax boost as well.

“Even if it’s not in the double digits like my case 8 percent, that still means that I need to now figure out how to accommodate an additional 8 percent of spending in my budget. And where is that going to come from? I don’t know but that’s going to be a hard choice to make.”

Currently in Kansas, the average homeowner pays more than $1,600 dollars in property taxes each year.

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