Kansas 2023-2024 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB323

Introduced
3/24/23  
Refer
3/27/23  

Caption

Providing for the election of county appraisers.

Impact

The passage of SB 323 is expected to alter the landscape of property tax administration in Kansas by making county appraisers more accountable to voters. Supporters believe that having elected officials will lead to more transparent and community-oriented property assessments. This change could also affect how disputes regarding property valuations are settled, potentially enhancing the efficiency of the valuation appeals process via public scrutiny. The bill signifies a shift from appointed positions, which may lack direct public oversight, to roles directly accountable to the electorate, potentially affecting public trust in property valuation decisions.

Summary

Senate Bill 323 establishes the mechanism for directly electing county appraisers in Kansas. This bill mandates that, starting in the 2024 general election, a qualified elector will be elected as the county appraiser for a four-year term in each county. Before assuming their duties, elected appraisers will need to post a bond, ensuring accountability in their role. The legislation aims to enhance the governance of property assessment, allowing for more localized decision-making regarding property valuation and tax assessments, which currently fall under appraisers appointed by counties without direct electoral accountability.

Contention

Opponents of SB 323 express concerns that the electoral process might politicize the role of county appraisers, leading to assessments influenced by the interests of constituents rather than objective property valuation standards. There are worries about qualified candidates' ability to win elections versus their technical expertise in appraisals. Additionally, concerns center on whether this reform will effectively resolve issues surrounding property tax disputes or whether it will merely complicate and politicize an already complex process. As the bill proceeds, discussions will likely reflect these varied perspectives on governance, accountability, and the implications of community engagement in property tax issues.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Similar Bills

TX HB3098

Relating to ad valorem taxation.

KS SB8

Reducing penalties for the late filing of and the failure to file personal property renditions and the discovery of escaped personal property, requiring filing only an initial statement with county appraiser for personal property, decreasing the penalties for failing to timely remit withholding income taxes of employees by employers, extending reimbursement from the taxpayer notification costs fund for printing and postage costs for county clerks for calendar year 2024, modifying and prescribing the contents of the revenue neutral rate public hearing notice, providing two prior years' values on the annual valuation notice, allowing for filing of an appraisal by a certified residential real property appraiser for appeal purposes, discontinuing the prohibition of paying taxes under protest after a valuation notice appeal, accounting for adverse influences in the valuation of agricultural land, including properties used for registered agritourism activities as land devoted to agricultural use for purposes of classification, providing a property tax exemption for certain business property operated in competition with property owned or operated by a governmental entity, providing income tax subtraction modifications to permit the carryforward of certain net operating losses for individuals and for the federal work opportunity tax credit and the employee retention credit disallowances, increasing the tax credit amount for adoption expenses and making the credit refundable, increasing the amount of income tax credits available for purchases under the disability employment act from qualified vendors, continuing in existence such credits beyond tax year 2023 and defining qualifying vendors and eligible employees, establishing a tax credit for contributions to eligible charitable organizations operating pregnancy centers or residential maternity facilities, clarifying the determination of taxable income of an electing pass-through entity and providing for the passing through of tax credits to electing pass-through entity owners for purposes of the salt parity act, excluding social security payments from household income and expanding eligibility for seniors and disabled veterans related to increased property tax homestead refund claims, providing a sales tax exemption for sales of property and services used in the provision of communications services and excluding manufacturers' coupons from the sales or selling price.

KS HB2002

Providing countywide retailers' sales tax authority for Dickinson and Grant counties, providing for a sales tax exemption for area agencies on aging and purchases made by Kansas suicide prevention HQ, inc., providing that the secretary of revenue file a release of warrant in the county where such warrant is docketed, granting authority to the director of property valuation to develop qualifying courses and providing that certain tax notices and statements may be transmitted by electronic means by the county treasurer and county appraiser if consented to by the taxpayer.

KS SB410

Reducing penalties for the late filing of or the failure to file statements listing personal property for assessment and the discovery of escaped personal property and reporting changes after initial statement, allowing for filing of an appraisal by a certified residential real property appraiser for appeal purposes, accounting for adverse influences in the valuation of agricultural land, including properties used for registered agritourism activities as land devoted to agricultural use for purposes of classification, providing a property tax exemption for new electric generation facilities, additions and new pollution control devices and discontinuing certain current property tax exemptions, providing that county clerks are not required to send revenue neutral rate notices to property owners of exempt property, modifying and prescribing the contents of the revenue neutral rate hearing notice, permitting a tax levy that generates the same amount of revenue as the previous year when the final assessed valuation decreases compared to the estimated assessed valuation, requiring that the governing body's vote be conducted on the same day as the commencement of the public hearing, extending reimbursement from the taxpayer notification costs fund for printing and postage costs for calendar year 2024, providing income tax subtraction modifications for certain federal credit disallowances and the employee retention credit disallowance and to permit the carryforward of certain net operating losses, clarifying the disallowed business interest expense deduction, extending the time period for the single city port authority tax credit, decreasing penalties for failing to timely remit withholding income taxes of employees by employers, clarifying the determination of taxable income of an electing pass-through entity and providing for the passing through of tax credits to electing pass-through entity owners relating to the salt parity act, providing countywide retailers' sales tax authority for Rawlins, Marshall and Neosho counties and authorizing teleconference or video conference hearings in the small claims and expedited hearings division of the state board of tax appeals.

KS HB2096

Establishing the veterans' valor property tax relief act providing for an income tax credit or refund for eligible individuals, increasing the tax credit amount for household and dependent care expenses, modifying the definition of household income and increasing the appraised value threshold for eligibility of seniors and disabled veterans related to increased property tax claims and citing the section as the homeowners' property tax freeze program, providing a property tax rebate for certain business property operated in competition with property owned or operated by a governmental entity, providing property tax exemptions for certain personal property including watercraft, marine equipment, off-road vehicles, motorized bicycles and certain trailers, excluding internal revenue code section 1031 exchange transactions as indicators of fair market value, providing for certain exclusions from the prohibition of paying taxes under protest after a valuation notice appeal and providing four prior years' values on the annual valuation notice.

KS HB2003

Establishing the veterans' valor property tax relief act providing for an income tax credit or refund for eligible individuals, modifying the definition of household income and increasing the appraised value threshold for eligibility of seniors and disabled veterans related to increased property tax claims and citing the section as the homeowners' property tax freeze program, providing property tax exemptions for certain personal property including watercraft, marine equipment, off-road vehicles, motorized bicycles and certain trailers, excluding internal revenue code section 1031 exchange transactions as indicators of fair market value, providing for certain exclusions from the prohibition of paying taxes under protest after a valuation notice appeal and providing four prior years' values on the annual valuation notice.

OH SB145

Rename the Department of Development; modify the housing law

TX HB585

Relating to ad valorem taxation; creating an offense.