Jackson County officials no longer have to comply with a ruling from the Missouri State Tax Commission that ordered a rollback of the county’s 2023 tax assessments. The commission had instructed the county to ensure that assessments were not more than 15% higher than the previous assessment in 2021. After the county failed to meet this deadline, the commission took the matter to court, but a Jackson County judge dismissed the case.
This decision means that the county will not have to make property assessment changes that would have greatly impacted residents, many of whom were facing significant increases in their property taxes. County officials, including Executive Frank White and County Assessor Gail McCann-Beatty, had vowed to fight the commission’s order in court, despite opposition from some members of the Jackson County legislator.
The State Tax Commission also accused Jackson County of failing to properly notify property owners whose assessments had increased by 15% or more, as well as failing to conduct physical inspections as required. County officials argued that reversing the property assessments would have negative consequences for taxing jurisdictions that rely on property tax revenue, such as local schools and libraries.
Overall, the dismissal of the commission’s order is seen as a positive outcome for Jackson County residents who were concerned about the financial burden of increased property taxes. It also highlights the ongoing legal and administrative challenges faced by local governments in managing tax assessments and revenue collection.
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