Kansas House Bill HB2728

Kansas 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/7/24
• Refer: 2/7/24
• Failed: 4/30/24

Caption

Requiring that comparable sales of residential property occur within the subdivision or township or closest located subdivision or township where such property is located for valuing real property.

Impact

The impact of HB2728 is significant as it streamlines and standardizes the property appraisal process, which could affect the tax burdens on residents and local governments across Kansas. By ensuring that property valuations are based on more relevant and locally comparable sales, the bill attempts to address concerns of inflated assessments that do not accurately reflect the current housing market or economic conditions in specific areas. This change is anticipated to benefit homeowners by preventing overvaluation based on unrelated market conditions elsewhere.

Summary

House Bill 2728 focuses on the valuation of real property for taxation purposes in Kansas. Specifically, the bill mandates that comparable sales used to determine property values must occur within the same subdivision or township, or the closest neighboring subdivision or township. This change aims to create a more localized and accurate method for assessing property value, which may reflect the true market conditions of a given area more effectively than broader metrics that could overlook local variations.

Contention

While proponents of the bill, including some real estate advocates and local governments, argue that the bill is a step towards fairer taxation practices, there are points of contention raised by critics who worry about the implications for state revenue. Concerns have been expressed that by limiting the pool of comparable sales, revenues from property taxes may decrease, necessitating adjustments in budgeting or the potential shift of tax burdens elsewhere. An effective balance between accurate assessments and sustaining state funding is a central theme in discussions surrounding the bill.