jiveturkey
09-18-2005, 07:38 AM
This is awesome news!!! :shake: I'll be sure to contact the writer so that I can form a list of people to vote out of office next time around.
Posted on Sun, Sep. 18, 2005
Homeowners may pay hundreds more
Higher tax ahead for Johnson Countians
By JIM SULLINGER
The Kansas City Star
“I’m a little upset. When is enough, enough?”
Christy Andruss of Shawnee about the tax increases
Gasoline prices soaring. Winter heating bills predicted to increase 71 percent. What could be next?
For Johnson County homeowners, especially in the Shawnee Mission School District, it could be the real estate tax bills they receive in November. Many residents will see increases of $200 or more to help pay for local spending by county government, cities and school districts.
Christy Andruss of Shawnee could be looking at an increase of more than $250.
“That’s unbelievable,” she said. “I’m a little upset. When is enough, enough?”
Local budgets for cities and Johnson County government were finished in late August. The county’s six school districts put the finishing touches on their budget process last week.
Mill levies, which determine how much people will pay to fund those budgets, are then calculated using the county’s taxable property values and the amount of property tax to be collected for each budget. Tax bills are prepared by the county for each taxpayer and mailed in November.
Based on those estimated tax rates and increases in appraised values, The Kansas City Star prepared tax bills for the average-priced home in each of eight Johnson County cities and two locations in Overland Park — one house north of Interstate 435 and another south of the highway.
The results were then compared with last year’s tax bills.
Increases ranged from a low of $115 in Olathe to a high of $338 in Lenexa.
The average appraised value of a house in Leawood, for example, is $394,574. A house valued at that amount in the Blue Valley School District will be taxed an additional $311 this year.
The owner of a Prairie Village house valued at almost $200,000 will see a bigger increase — $327 — than the house in Leawood.
Taxes on a house valued at $170,000 in northern Overland Park will increase more than on a $293,000 house in southern Overland Park.
Why?
Shawnee Mission’s levy is the biggest factor, rising $7 on each $1,000 of assessed value. Both the Olathe and Blue Valley school boards dropped their levies slightly. Consequently, increases for people in those two districts won’t be as large.
At the same time, county government increased its levy $1.80 on each $1,000 of value. On a split vote, county commissioners approved the increase, in large part, to finance a 416-bed jail expansion and operating costs for a rehabilitation center for low-risk offenders.
Most cities kept the same levy as last year, reaping extra dollars from the increase in property values driven by the county’s hot real estate market.
Shawnee Mission officials said the large increase in their levy this year was the result of recent state legislation that allowed them to raise more money locally and increase classroom spending.
“These dollars are approved by local authorities, raised locally and spent locally,” said Rep. Ed O’Malley, a Roeland Park Republican.
The alternative, he added, was increased state taxes decided in Topeka, raised locally and sent to school districts throughout the state.
Johnson County school districts are among the lowest in state spending per pupil and must rely more on local property tax dollars than most Kansas districts.
Gregg Amos, Shawnee Mission school board president, said those added dollars are putting nurses back in many elementary schools and more money into school libraries, areas cut in previous years.
He also said the district is hiring more teachers to lower class sizes.
While the levy increase is large, Amos pointed out that Shawnee Mission’s projected mill levy of $49.76 for each $1,000 of assessed value is still smaller than Olathe’s $68.13 and Blue Valley’s $63.34. While the increase is larger in Prairie Village than Olathe, the total tax bill on the average Prairie Village house is still lower than a house in Olathe with the same appraised value.
“We’ve always had a low mill levy,” Amos said.
Shawnee Mission isn’t alone in using more local property tax dollars for the classroom. Olathe and Blue Valley also increased their percentage of local dollars. But unlike Shawnee Mission, Olathe and Blue Valley were able to avoid a potential tax increase by lowering the rate on property taxes needed to pay off construction bonds.
Large enrollment increases in Olathe will provide a lot of extra state dollars this year for those schools while Shawnee Mission is expected to lose about 400 students — a drain on that district’s share of state dollars.
Brian Bradley of Leawood, who lives in the Shawnee Mission district, said he was anticipating a large increase this year. He said he owns several properties and estimated his taxes could increase as much as $2,000.
However, he said many people might not notice the tax increase because they have refinanced their mortgage, resulting in a lower monthly house payment. About 60 percent of Johnson County homeowners pay their taxes through mortgage escrow accounts.
While most cities didn’t raise their tax levies, they will collect more property tax dollars because of property reappraisal. During some of the 1990s, Johnson County government, Overland Park and other cities often rolled back their levies in order to blunt those appraisal increases.
That’s not the case this year.
“We’re a growing city,” said Overland Park Mayor Carl Gerlach. “We have more police officers this year. We don’t have any control over what the appraised values are going to be.”
Gerlach said that Overland Park has the lowest tax rate of any first-class city in Kansas.
“We’re trying to keep our mill levy as low as we can and doing an excellent job of it,” he said.
First glance
■ Mill levy increases coupled with rising real estate values are boosting property tax bills this November, with the biggest increases coming for homeowners in the Shawnee Mission School District.
To reach Jim Sullinger, Kansas government reporter, call (816) 234-7701 or send e-mail to jsullinger@kcstar.com .
Posted on Sun, Sep. 18, 2005
Homeowners may pay hundreds more
Higher tax ahead for Johnson Countians
By JIM SULLINGER
The Kansas City Star
“I’m a little upset. When is enough, enough?”
Christy Andruss of Shawnee about the tax increases
Gasoline prices soaring. Winter heating bills predicted to increase 71 percent. What could be next?
For Johnson County homeowners, especially in the Shawnee Mission School District, it could be the real estate tax bills they receive in November. Many residents will see increases of $200 or more to help pay for local spending by county government, cities and school districts.
Christy Andruss of Shawnee could be looking at an increase of more than $250.
“That’s unbelievable,” she said. “I’m a little upset. When is enough, enough?”
Local budgets for cities and Johnson County government were finished in late August. The county’s six school districts put the finishing touches on their budget process last week.
Mill levies, which determine how much people will pay to fund those budgets, are then calculated using the county’s taxable property values and the amount of property tax to be collected for each budget. Tax bills are prepared by the county for each taxpayer and mailed in November.
Based on those estimated tax rates and increases in appraised values, The Kansas City Star prepared tax bills for the average-priced home in each of eight Johnson County cities and two locations in Overland Park — one house north of Interstate 435 and another south of the highway.
The results were then compared with last year’s tax bills.
Increases ranged from a low of $115 in Olathe to a high of $338 in Lenexa.
The average appraised value of a house in Leawood, for example, is $394,574. A house valued at that amount in the Blue Valley School District will be taxed an additional $311 this year.
The owner of a Prairie Village house valued at almost $200,000 will see a bigger increase — $327 — than the house in Leawood.
Taxes on a house valued at $170,000 in northern Overland Park will increase more than on a $293,000 house in southern Overland Park.
Why?
Shawnee Mission’s levy is the biggest factor, rising $7 on each $1,000 of assessed value. Both the Olathe and Blue Valley school boards dropped their levies slightly. Consequently, increases for people in those two districts won’t be as large.
At the same time, county government increased its levy $1.80 on each $1,000 of value. On a split vote, county commissioners approved the increase, in large part, to finance a 416-bed jail expansion and operating costs for a rehabilitation center for low-risk offenders.
Most cities kept the same levy as last year, reaping extra dollars from the increase in property values driven by the county’s hot real estate market.
Shawnee Mission officials said the large increase in their levy this year was the result of recent state legislation that allowed them to raise more money locally and increase classroom spending.
“These dollars are approved by local authorities, raised locally and spent locally,” said Rep. Ed O’Malley, a Roeland Park Republican.
The alternative, he added, was increased state taxes decided in Topeka, raised locally and sent to school districts throughout the state.
Johnson County school districts are among the lowest in state spending per pupil and must rely more on local property tax dollars than most Kansas districts.
Gregg Amos, Shawnee Mission school board president, said those added dollars are putting nurses back in many elementary schools and more money into school libraries, areas cut in previous years.
He also said the district is hiring more teachers to lower class sizes.
While the levy increase is large, Amos pointed out that Shawnee Mission’s projected mill levy of $49.76 for each $1,000 of assessed value is still smaller than Olathe’s $68.13 and Blue Valley’s $63.34. While the increase is larger in Prairie Village than Olathe, the total tax bill on the average Prairie Village house is still lower than a house in Olathe with the same appraised value.
“We’ve always had a low mill levy,” Amos said.
Shawnee Mission isn’t alone in using more local property tax dollars for the classroom. Olathe and Blue Valley also increased their percentage of local dollars. But unlike Shawnee Mission, Olathe and Blue Valley were able to avoid a potential tax increase by lowering the rate on property taxes needed to pay off construction bonds.
Large enrollment increases in Olathe will provide a lot of extra state dollars this year for those schools while Shawnee Mission is expected to lose about 400 students — a drain on that district’s share of state dollars.
Brian Bradley of Leawood, who lives in the Shawnee Mission district, said he was anticipating a large increase this year. He said he owns several properties and estimated his taxes could increase as much as $2,000.
However, he said many people might not notice the tax increase because they have refinanced their mortgage, resulting in a lower monthly house payment. About 60 percent of Johnson County homeowners pay their taxes through mortgage escrow accounts.
While most cities didn’t raise their tax levies, they will collect more property tax dollars because of property reappraisal. During some of the 1990s, Johnson County government, Overland Park and other cities often rolled back their levies in order to blunt those appraisal increases.
That’s not the case this year.
“We’re a growing city,” said Overland Park Mayor Carl Gerlach. “We have more police officers this year. We don’t have any control over what the appraised values are going to be.”
Gerlach said that Overland Park has the lowest tax rate of any first-class city in Kansas.
“We’re trying to keep our mill levy as low as we can and doing an excellent job of it,” he said.
First glance
■ Mill levy increases coupled with rising real estate values are boosting property tax bills this November, with the biggest increases coming for homeowners in the Shawnee Mission School District.
To reach Jim Sullinger, Kansas government reporter, call (816) 234-7701 or send e-mail to jsullinger@kcstar.com .
Posted on Sun, Sep. 18, 2005
Homeowners may pay hundreds more
Higher tax ahead for Johnson Countians
By JIM SULLINGER
The Kansas City Star
“I’m a little upset. When is enough, enough?”
Christy Andruss of Shawnee about the tax increases
Gasoline prices soaring. Winter heating bills predicted to increase 71 percent. What could be next?
For Johnson County homeowners, especially in the Shawnee Mission School District, it could be the real estate tax bills they receive in November. Many residents will see increases of $200 or more to help pay for local spending by county government, cities and school districts.
Christy Andruss of Shawnee could be looking at an increase of more than $250.
“That’s unbelievable,” she said. “I’m a little upset. When is enough, enough?”
Local budgets for cities and Johnson County government were finished in late August. The county’s six school districts put the finishing touches on their budget process last week.
Mill levies, which determine how much people will pay to fund those budgets, are then calculated using the county’s taxable property values and the amount of property tax to be collected for each budget. Tax bills are prepared by the county for each taxpayer and mailed in November.
Based on those estimated tax rates and increases in appraised values, The Kansas City Star prepared tax bills for the average-priced home in each of eight Johnson County cities and two locations in Overland Park — one house north of Interstate 435 and another south of the highway.
The results were then compared with last year’s tax bills.
Increases ranged from a low of $115 in Olathe to a high of $338 in Lenexa.
The average appraised value of a house in Leawood, for example, is $394,574. A house valued at that amount in the Blue Valley School District will be taxed an additional $311 this year.
The owner of a Prairie Village house valued at almost $200,000 will see a bigger increase — $327 — than the house in Leawood.
Taxes on a house valued at $170,000 in northern Overland Park will increase more than on a $293,000 house in southern Overland Park.
Why?
Shawnee Mission’s levy is the biggest factor, rising $7 on each $1,000 of assessed value. Both the Olathe and Blue Valley school boards dropped their levies slightly. Consequently, increases for people in those two districts won’t be as large.
At the same time, county government increased its levy $1.80 on each $1,000 of value. On a split vote, county commissioners approved the increase, in large part, to finance a 416-bed jail expansion and operating costs for a rehabilitation center for low-risk offenders.
Most cities kept the same levy as last year, reaping extra dollars from the increase in property values driven by the county’s hot real estate market.
Shawnee Mission officials said the large increase in their levy this year was the result of recent state legislation that allowed them to raise more money locally and increase classroom spending.
“These dollars are approved by local authorities, raised locally and spent locally,” said Rep. Ed O’Malley, a Roeland Park Republican.
The alternative, he added, was increased state taxes decided in Topeka, raised locally and sent to school districts throughout the state.
Johnson County school districts are among the lowest in state spending per pupil and must rely more on local property tax dollars than most Kansas districts.
Gregg Amos, Shawnee Mission school board president, said those added dollars are putting nurses back in many elementary schools and more money into school libraries, areas cut in previous years.
He also said the district is hiring more teachers to lower class sizes.
While the levy increase is large, Amos pointed out that Shawnee Mission’s projected mill levy of $49.76 for each $1,000 of assessed value is still smaller than Olathe’s $68.13 and Blue Valley’s $63.34. While the increase is larger in Prairie Village than Olathe, the total tax bill on the average Prairie Village house is still lower than a house in Olathe with the same appraised value.
“We’ve always had a low mill levy,” Amos said.
Shawnee Mission isn’t alone in using more local property tax dollars for the classroom. Olathe and Blue Valley also increased their percentage of local dollars. But unlike Shawnee Mission, Olathe and Blue Valley were able to avoid a potential tax increase by lowering the rate on property taxes needed to pay off construction bonds.
Large enrollment increases in Olathe will provide a lot of extra state dollars this year for those schools while Shawnee Mission is expected to lose about 400 students — a drain on that district’s share of state dollars.
Brian Bradley of Leawood, who lives in the Shawnee Mission district, said he was anticipating a large increase this year. He said he owns several properties and estimated his taxes could increase as much as $2,000.
However, he said many people might not notice the tax increase because they have refinanced their mortgage, resulting in a lower monthly house payment. About 60 percent of Johnson County homeowners pay their taxes through mortgage escrow accounts.
While most cities didn’t raise their tax levies, they will collect more property tax dollars because of property reappraisal. During some of the 1990s, Johnson County government, Overland Park and other cities often rolled back their levies in order to blunt those appraisal increases.
That’s not the case this year.
“We’re a growing city,” said Overland Park Mayor Carl Gerlach. “We have more police officers this year. We don’t have any control over what the appraised values are going to be.”
Gerlach said that Overland Park has the lowest tax rate of any first-class city in Kansas.
“We’re trying to keep our mill levy as low as we can and doing an excellent job of it,” he said.
First glance
■ Mill levy increases coupled with rising real estate values are boosting property tax bills this November, with the biggest increases coming for homeowners in the Shawnee Mission School District.
To reach Jim Sullinger, Kansas government reporter, call (816) 234-7701 or send e-mail to jsullinger@kcstar.com .
Posted on Sun, Sep. 18, 2005
Homeowners may pay hundreds more
Higher tax ahead for Johnson Countians
By JIM SULLINGER
The Kansas City Star
“I’m a little upset. When is enough, enough?”
Christy Andruss of Shawnee about the tax increases
Gasoline prices soaring. Winter heating bills predicted to increase 71 percent. What could be next?
For Johnson County homeowners, especially in the Shawnee Mission School District, it could be the real estate tax bills they receive in November. Many residents will see increases of $200 or more to help pay for local spending by county government, cities and school districts.
Christy Andruss of Shawnee could be looking at an increase of more than $250.
“That’s unbelievable,” she said. “I’m a little upset. When is enough, enough?”
Local budgets for cities and Johnson County government were finished in late August. The county’s six school districts put the finishing touches on their budget process last week.
Mill levies, which determine how much people will pay to fund those budgets, are then calculated using the county’s taxable property values and the amount of property tax to be collected for each budget. Tax bills are prepared by the county for each taxpayer and mailed in November.
Based on those estimated tax rates and increases in appraised values, The Kansas City Star prepared tax bills for the average-priced home in each of eight Johnson County cities and two locations in Overland Park — one house north of Interstate 435 and another south of the highway.
The results were then compared with last year’s tax bills.
Increases ranged from a low of $115 in Olathe to a high of $338 in Lenexa.
The average appraised value of a house in Leawood, for example, is $394,574. A house valued at that amount in the Blue Valley School District will be taxed an additional $311 this year.
The owner of a Prairie Village house valued at almost $200,000 will see a bigger increase — $327 — than the house in Leawood.
Taxes on a house valued at $170,000 in northern Overland Park will increase more than on a $293,000 house in southern Overland Park.
Why?
Shawnee Mission’s levy is the biggest factor, rising $7 on each $1,000 of assessed value. Both the Olathe and Blue Valley school boards dropped their levies slightly. Consequently, increases for people in those two districts won’t be as large.
At the same time, county government increased its levy $1.80 on each $1,000 of value. On a split vote, county commissioners approved the increase, in large part, to finance a 416-bed jail expansion and operating costs for a rehabilitation center for low-risk offenders.
Most cities kept the same levy as last year, reaping extra dollars from the increase in property values driven by the county’s hot real estate market.
Shawnee Mission officials said the large increase in their levy this year was the result of recent state legislation that allowed them to raise more money locally and increase classroom spending.
“These dollars are approved by local authorities, raised locally and spent locally,” said Rep. Ed O’Malley, a Roeland Park Republican.
The alternative, he added, was increased state taxes decided in Topeka, raised locally and sent to school districts throughout the state.
Johnson County school districts are among the lowest in state spending per pupil and must rely more on local property tax dollars than most Kansas districts.
Gregg Amos, Shawnee Mission school board president, said those added dollars are putting nurses back in many elementary schools and more money into school libraries, areas cut in previous years.
He also said the district is hiring more teachers to lower class sizes.
While the levy increase is large, Amos pointed out that Shawnee Mission’s projected mill levy of $49.76 for each $1,000 of assessed value is still smaller than Olathe’s $68.13 and Blue Valley’s $63.34. While the increase is larger in Prairie Village than Olathe, the total tax bill on the average Prairie Village house is still lower than a house in Olathe with the same appraised value.
“We’ve always had a low mill levy,” Amos said.
Shawnee Mission isn’t alone in using more local property tax dollars for the classroom. Olathe and Blue Valley also increased their percentage of local dollars. But unlike Shawnee Mission, Olathe and Blue Valley were able to avoid a potential tax increase by lowering the rate on property taxes needed to pay off construction bonds.
Large enrollment increases in Olathe will provide a lot of extra state dollars this year for those schools while Shawnee Mission is expected to lose about 400 students — a drain on that district’s share of state dollars.
Brian Bradley of Leawood, who lives in the Shawnee Mission district, said he was anticipating a large increase this year. He said he owns several properties and estimated his taxes could increase as much as $2,000.
However, he said many people might not notice the tax increase because they have refinanced their mortgage, resulting in a lower monthly house payment. About 60 percent of Johnson County homeowners pay their taxes through mortgage escrow accounts.
While most cities didn’t raise their tax levies, they will collect more property tax dollars because of property reappraisal. During some of the 1990s, Johnson County government, Overland Park and other cities often rolled back their levies in order to blunt those appraisal increases.
That’s not the case this year.
“We’re a growing city,” said Overland Park Mayor Carl Gerlach. “We have more police officers this year. We don’t have any control over what the appraised values are going to be.”
Gerlach said that Overland Park has the lowest tax rate of any first-class city in Kansas.
“We’re trying to keep our mill levy as low as we can and doing an excellent job of it,” he said.
First glance
■ Mill levy increases coupled with rising real estate values are boosting property tax bills this November, with the biggest increases coming for homeowners in the Shawnee Mission School District.
To reach Jim Sullinger, Kansas government reporter, call (816) 234-7701 or send e-mail to jsullinger@kcstar.com .