By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
Rep. Barbara Wasinger, R-Hays, said property taxes are a top concern she hears from constituents and asked the Ellis County Commission for potential tax relief ideas the Kansas Legislature could consider.
"I don't know what the answer is," Wasinger said. "For six years, I was on the Tax Committee. We tried various things to help Kansans get tax relief, but I think I need to hear from you."
Wasinger discussed property taxes with the commission during its Tuesday meeting. Commissioner Nathan Leiker said the county can only do so much as costs continue to rise, adding state policy changes often shift the tax burden rather than reduce it.
"We keep losing tools out of our toolbox and keep getting limited on what we can and can't do, and then we get told we're not doing it right," Leiker said.
Leiker said the county has lost revenue sources to the state, such as mortgage processing fees, and now faces additional impacts from newly approved property tax exemptions that remove specific items from taxation beginning Jan. 1.
Commissioner Michael Berges said property taxes are unpopular largely because of their complexity and suggested simplifying the system.
"The less you tax something, it means that has to be picked up somewhere else," he said. "That's what frustrates me from a legislative standpoint. Every time we add a new exemption, a change to assessed rates or caps, it just puts pressure somewhere else."
Wasinger asked if Berges was suggesting a flat tax, to which he responded, "potentially."
Wasinger said efforts to pass an income tax were difficult to advance. Commissioner Neal Younger said he would support a flat tax if possible.
Younger questioned what happened to the lottery funds expected decades ago to support county infrastructure. Wasinger said she would look into the issue and that gambling revenue is being explored as a potential offset for county property taxes.
The commission and Wasinger also discussed the possibility of generating new revenue from local energy development, including wind, solar oil and agriculture.
Eugene Rupp, county appraiser, updated the commission on legislative changes that removed several types of personal property from taxation. Rupp said while some taxpayers will see relief, the change is not a tax reduction.
"Where personal property was picking up a bit of that burden, that now gets shifted to the real estate side," Rupp said.
Rupp said the exemptions would remove about $1 million in assessed valuation, equivalent to taking 35 homes valued at $250,000 off the tax rolls.
Exemptions apply to off-road vehicles, such as ATVs, UTVs, golf carts, off-road motorcycles and snowmobiles. Watercraft and marine equipment include boats and jet skis, and personal trailers with a loaded weight of 15,000 pounds or less.
If you have questions about which properties are included in the exemption, contact the Ellis County Appraiser's Office here.