KAC Requests Legislative Focus Shift to 2020 Property Tax Payments

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NEWS RELEASE

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 15, 2020

 

News Contact: Kimberly Qualls, (785) 213-4717 or qualls@kansascounties.org

KAC Requests Legislative Focus Shift to 2020 Property Tax Payments

 

Topeka, Kan. – The Kansas Association of Counties (KAC) is aware of current proposed legislation to waive the interest and fees for second half property tax payments that were due on May 11, 2020. According to Sharon Gaede, Lyon County Treasurer and President of the Kansas County Treasurers Association (KCTA), “We  polled our KCTA members as to the current delinquency rate for 2019 property tax payments compared to the same timeframe for 2018 tax payments, and we determined that on average there was approximately a one percent difference.”

This one percent difference means that 99 percent of the amount of property tax payments made in May 2019 have already been paid as of May 11, 2020. Many of the delinquent taxpayers are those that have been consistently delinquent over time. Kansas county treasurers have already been working with local taxpayers to set up payment plans for their property taxes.

 

KAC plans to ask the Kansas legislature to enlist the aid of a study committee to recommend potential solutions for the first half property tax payment due in December 2020. While Kansas counties collect the property taxes, only 29.13 percent of the tax funds collected are actually retained by counties. The remainder goes to other taxing jurisdictions, including the state, cities, school districts, community colleges, libraries, water districts, drainage districts, and more. For that reason, KAC recommends that stakeholders such as cities, school districts, hospitals and other taxing jurisdictions serve on the study committee to better understand how changes to tax collections and disbursements would impact local services.

The Kansas Association of Counties is a quasi-public agency, which seeks to advance the public interest by promoting effective, responsive county government in Kansas. Founded in 1975, as an instrumentality of its member counties, KAC serves county governments through: legislative representation, technical assistance, leadership, and professional education.

 

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