NINE NEWS AT SIX STARTS NOW. JACKSON COUNTY HAS ITS DAY IN COURT, FACING A LAWSUIT OVER YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILLS. GOOD EVENING. I’M LARA MORITZ AND I’M KRIS KETZ. THE STATE OF MISSOURI IS SUING JACKSON COUNTY OVER SKY HIGH PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS. LAST YEAR, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER MATT FLENER WAS INSIDE A DOWNTOWN COURTROOM AS IT WAS ALL HAPPENING THIS IS DAY THREE OF THE TRIAL OVER JACKSON COUNTY PROPERTY TAXES TAKING PLACE HERE ON THE FOURTH FLOOR OF THE JACKSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE, JACKSON COUNTY ASSESSOR GAIL MCCANN. BEATTY LEFT THE COURTROOM WITH NO COMMENT. THIS AFTERNOON, ONLY STILL PICTURES WERE ALLOWED IN THE COURTROOM. BUT THE PICTURES SHOW MCCANN BEATTY ON THE STAND. SHE DEFENDED THE COUNTY’S ACTIONS, SAYING THERE WAS A LOT OF INTERFERENCE AND MISINFORMATION IN THIS PROCESS AND BELIEVE SUPPLY AND DEMAND DROVE UP PROPERTY VALUES. TAX EXPERT PRESTON SMITH TOOK THE STAND. TWO SMITH HAS CHAMPIONED HIMSELF AS A DATA EXPERT, CALLING IT A QUESTION. DISCREPANCIES IN JACKSON COUNTY’S TAX ASSESSMENTS. SMITH SAID JACKSON COUNTY DID NOT PERFORM INSPECTIONS PROPERLY. HE ALSO SAID THE COUNTY NEEDS TO CHANGE ITS TAX RECORDS BACK TO THE PREVIOUS LEVELS. I DEAL WITH THOUSANDS OF TAXPAYERS THIS LAST YEAR. PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT LOSING THEIR HOMES. SO NO, THAT’S WHY THAT THEY’RE COUNTING ON FOLKS LIKE ME TO STEP FORWARD AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHEN THEY CAN’T, EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS DAY THREE OF THE TRIAL, WE’RE NOT EXPECTING THE TRIAL TO CONTINUE UNTIL NEXT MONTH AUGUST 9TH IS THE NEXT DATE. EVERYBODY COULD AGREE THAT THEY’LL ALL BE IN THE SAME COURTROO
Jackson County Assessor Gail McCann Beatty took the stand on Monday, the third day of a contentious trial over a 2023 tax assessment process she oversaw. The process has drawn more than 50,000 appeals from property owners about their valuations.McCann Beatty defended her actions before a Clay County judge overseeing the bench trial.She testified Jackson County properly physically inspected properties if their assessed value went up more than 15 percent.The lawsuit, on behalf of the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, alleges otherwise. It further claims that property owners were not given the opportunity to request interior inspections.The state’s key witness, data expert Preston Smith, defended his analysis of the county’s missteps.He hopes the judge will decide to roll back property values.”If we’re able to show that those physical inspections did not actually occur and that the county broke the state laws and did not follow the generally accepted procedures for data analysis and quality control, is that then the ultimate decision we hope the judge would decide is that we would roll back the values of the 2023 assessment to 2022 values,” Smith said. Smith said the Missouri Attorney General’s office has a plan laid out for the judge, to ease the impact on taxing jurisdictions if that happens.McCann Beatty walked out of the courtroom Thursday, saying she had no comment and would be able to say more after the trial.The next court date is Aug. 9 at 8:30 a.m.Previous reporting over the Jackson County, Missouri assessments during the past yearThe Jackson County assessments have been a hot topic for over a year.Here is a sample of stories from KMBC’s reporters:Lawsuit: Jackson County broke the law several times during 2023 property assessment processJackson County assessments: Executive Frank White requests attorney general to withdraw lawsuitJackson County property assessments: Air Force veteran fears loss of home due to taxesJackson County assessments: Nearly 1,000 have contacted Missouri AG’s tip lineJackson County property assessments: Ruling issued in lawsuit filed by Independence, Blue SpringsWith Jackson County assessment appeal deadline two weeks away, tens of thousands have already appealedMissouri House Speaker: Jackson County property tax assessments will be a topic during legislative sessionApril ransomware attack delays 2023 Jackson County property assessment appealsMonths later, long lines continue for Jackson County property assessment appealsOver 100 bills on property taxes filed in Jefferson City, with some focusing on Jackson CountyProgram in Jackson County is giving property tax relief to seniors’It’s not just me’: More confusion emerges regarding property assessments in Jackson CountyJackson County senior citizen fears property taxes could lead to financial emergencyJackson County seniors hit especially hard by property assessment increasesJackson County legislator’s data: Seniors more likely to get large assessment increase in district’Deficiencies and noncompliance’ found in preliminary audit of 2023 Jackson County property tax assessment process’There is some political motivation to this’: Assessor fires back at Missouri State AuditorAppraiser who was part of panel for auditor’s investigation calls Jackson County assessment process ‘fatally flawed’Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas: Jackson County reassessment is becoming a ‘mess of a process’Jackson County, Missouri leaders try to find relief for sky-high property assessmentsJackson County Assessor Gail McCann Beatty explains process of calculating property values’I’d fire every one of them’: Kansas City homeowner frustrated after home jumps up $185,000 in valuationAlready facing a property tax increase, some Jackson County residents haven’t received assessments
Jackson County Assessor Gail McCann Beatty took the stand on Monday, the third day of a contentious trial over a 2023 tax assessment process she oversaw.
The process has drawn more than 50,000 appeals from property owners about their valuations.
McCann Beatty defended her actions before a Clay County judge overseeing the bench trial.
She testified Jackson County properly physically inspected properties if their assessed value went up more than 15 percent.
The lawsuit, on behalf of the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, alleges otherwise.
It further claims that property owners were not given the opportunity to request interior inspections.
The state’s key witness, data expert Preston Smith, defended his analysis of the county’s missteps.
He hopes the judge will decide to roll back property values.
“If we’re able to show that those physical inspections did not actually occur and that the county broke the state laws and did not follow the generally accepted procedures for data analysis and quality control, is that then the ultimate decision we hope the judge would decide is that we would roll back the values of the 2023 assessment to 2022 values,” Smith said.
Smith said the Missouri Attorney General’s office has a plan laid out for the judge, to ease the impact on taxing jurisdictions if that happens.
McCann Beatty walked out of the courtroom Thursday, saying she had no comment and would be able to say more after the trial.
The next court date is Aug. 9 at 8:30 a.m.
Previous reporting over the Jackson County, Missouri assessments during the past year
The Jackson County assessments have been a hot topic for over a year.
Here is a sample of stories from KMBC’s reporters:
