Allen City Clerk Cary Miles says she is starting to meet with town residents beginning Wednesday as the town continues work to start property tax refunds after sudden swings in valuations the past several years.
Miles declined a taped interview with KVOE News, but she says her plan is to meet with all of the nearly 90 property holders in town over the next several weeks — a process she believes will be done by the end of next month. The tax amount of almost $45,000 is getting cut to $30,000, meaning residents are set for a rebate of 33.5 percent for every resident, regardless of their year-to-year situation, as this process continues.
Miles, County Appraiser Ryan Janzen and County Clerk Amie Jones say there are several factors leading to the rebates:
*Valuations have fluctuated the last three years — and that’s an understatement. Janzen says the 2023 valuation was almost $726,000, jumping to almost $1.1 million last year before diving to almost $808,000 earlier this year. Janzen says those numbers are based on real estate, personal property and public utilities. Janzen says real estate values have actually climbed all three years despite the overall swing, from $671,000 in 2023 to over $750,000 this year. Personal property has swung in the opposite direction of the overall valuation, from almost $7,100 in 2023 to over $4,500 last year and almost $4,900 this year. Public utility valuation numbers are not immediately available, but Jones says there was a significant adjustment in utilities — one of the utilities on the current-year budget was removed for the 2026 document.
Also:
*The town increased its tax collection from around $26,000 to over $44,000, in part to account for a major infrastructure improvement.
Levy rates went from 24 to over 55 mills. The year-to-year change in value was over $300,000.
Allen set aide over $800,000 for work including lift station repairs and lagoon dredging. It later received a 60-percent forgivable loan through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Work is set to begin this upcoming summer.
Jones says concerns about the overall situation are understandable.
Miles says Allen had raised enough ad valorem taxes to cover the 2026 budget. She does not expect the rebate will affect city operations.
As part of these in-person meetings, Miles says Allen residents need to bring their property tax statements. Mortgage holders will get first priority, while residents with delinquent tax payments will not receive rebates until back tax amounts are paid. Residents with questions can call Allen City Hall at 620-528-3201.
