A petition currently circulating among the residents of Kansas’ capital could change the way property tax increases work in Topeka, giving the public the power to decide on potential hikes.
Kansas’ statewide average property tax increased by 6.4 percent between 2022 and 2023, according to the Kansas Policy Institute. Places like Shawnee County saw even higher jumps, with a 9.66 percent increase in property taxes bringing residents to voice their frustration at public meetings in August and September 2023.
There are two ways in which property tax bills can be increased in Kansas, at the moment: through a decision by taxing authorities or through an increase in home valuations. The rise in property taxes for Kansas residents is mainly due to rising home values in the state.
In Kansas, the typical home value was $214,347 as of January 31, according to Zillow’s latest data, up 4.2 percent from the previous year. A 5-year graph on the real estate marketplace’s website shows that prices have been steadily climbing since late 2019, despite a slight flattening during the housing market correction of late summer 2022 and spring 2023.
According to Zillow, the average home value nationwide is $342,941, up 3.1 percent from January 31.
The petition currently circulating in Topeka, launched by local resident Earl McIntosh, calls for a new ordinance that would require a public vote before the city’s taxing authorities decide to hike property tax rates. The change would apply to private, commercial, and agricultural properties.
Speaking to local news station WIBW, McIntosh described rising property taxes as “the biggest issue in Topeka right now.” The goal of his petition, he said, is to create a city ordinance stating that the city of Topeka cannot raise property taxes without a public vote.
It would effectively ban city authorities from bringing in more property tax revenue than the so-called “revenue neutral” sum they collected in the previous year for 10 years unless residents agree to it.
As of Thursday, the petition had about 1,100 signatures. To be certified by city authorities, it needs 3,000 validated signatures.
Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images
“If we get certified, then it goes back to the city of Topeka, and then the City Council has 20 days to pass it. And if they don’t pass it within 20 days, then it goes to a public vote,” McIntosh told WIBW. “All we’re asking and we’ve written it in our ordinance that they explained to us why they need to raise our property taxes, and how much they need.”
Newsweek called McIntosh for comment but left a message because the call was made outside standard working hours.
The petition drive in Topeka reflects similar frustration currently felt by Americans in several states across the country over rising property tax bills. In Michigan, resident Karla Wagner has launched a petition trying to eliminate property taxes in the state entirely.
Several homeowners wrote to Newsweek about skyrocketing property tax bills in Texas despite recent efforts by Governor Greg Abbott to offer some relief to struggling residents.
Are you a Kansas resident struggling with higher property taxes? Contact [email protected] to share your experience.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.