The Kansas House has passed legislation designed to cap property tax increases at the county level.
House Bill 2745 is designed to limit annual property tax increases to 3 percent over the prior year. Residents who want to challenge any property tax increases above 3 percent need to submit a protest petition signed by 5 percent of the number of people who voted in the last Kansas Secretary of State election — and to submit that paperwork to the County Treasurer’s Office within 30 days of the budget certification. Successful petitions would prompt the taxing entity to return to the prior year’s budget amounts, adjustable for allowable increases.
District 60 Representative Mark Schreiber of Emporia says the bill is notably different from the original. Had the bill stayed as originally written, he would have voted yes.
Schreiber says the version that passed the House gives fewer people more leverage.
The vote was 78-45 in favor. District 13 Representative Duane Droge of Eureka and District 76 Representative Brad Barrett of Osage City voted in favor. They have not been available for comment.
The Senate will now discuss the bill.
