Jackson County Responds To 'Reckless' Order From Tax Commission

In fairness, we think a separate post noting the today's word from the Courthouse was appropriate to consider in addition to local news coverage.

Here's the press release sent to www.TonysKansasCity.com and other local media outlets today:

Jackson County's response to politically motivated legal maneuvers and State Tax Commission’s reckless order

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jackson County is issuing this statement to address recent legal developments and the State Tax Commission’s unprecedented and unjustified order. It’s clear that this is a political ploy meant to confuse and alarm the public, distracting from the ethical breaches, losing cases, and outright lies being told by the supporters of this baseless lawsuit.

 This is exactly what we expected—a political stunt disguised as a legitimate legal challenge. Any remaining credibility the backers of this case once had is now gone. Their broken promises, misleading statements and political attacks have only served to create confusion, frustration and false hope among our residents. But let’s be honest: that was their goal from the start.
 
The truth is simple: every time the facts and the law are presented, Jackson County wins.
 
- Last December, the Missouri Supreme Court unanimously ruled in the County’s favor, dismissing a class action lawsuit.

- Yesterday, the Court of Appeals rejected Attorney General Bailey’s last-ditch attempt to avoid a deposition with our attorneys regarding potential ethical violations. By dismissing his claims against the County, Attorney General Bailey avoided being deposed under oath, scheduled for today.

- Today, the Circuit Court dismissed the case “with prejudice,” meaning the Attorney General’s Office and State Tax Commission (STC) cannot re-file it. We respect the Court’s decision and thank the Judge for her careful consideration and dedication to ensuring a fair and impartial process.

Jackson County has always been, and remains, committed to ensuring a fair and equitable assessment process where no one pays more than their fair share. The STC’s order blatantly ignores these principles, violating their own lawful duties and responsibilities.
 
It is clear that the Commission is being used as a shield for Attorney General Bailey, who is trying to escape accountability after lying and realizing he was losing the case. This dangerous order is nothing more than the latest move in a political game, one that threatens to cause significant harm to taxpayers, school districts, cities, and essential services—impacting them to the tune of millions of dollars.
 
The preliminary estimates of this order’s financial impact are nothing short of devastating. Schools and libraries in Jackson County could immediately lose $86,318,397.97—money they have already received, budgeted and spent. Meanwhile, cities and fire districts are estimated to lose $19,923,482.40. These losses would directly undermine the ability of these institutions to provide essential services to our community. This is not just about numbers; it’s about the real-world consequences for our children’s education, public safety and the quality of life in our communities.
 
This kind of reckless action jeopardizes the stability and planning that our schools, libraries, cities, and fire districts rely on. The entire list of impacted entities and estimated financial losses is attached to this release, providing a clear picture of the widespread damage this order would cause.
 
“Our goal remains providing a fair and equitable process for all. This order is not just bad for our taxing jurisdictions; it’s bad for our taxpayers,” said Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. “The process to fix decades of mismanagement and unfairness hasn’t been easy, but we are committed to doing what is right for our community.”
 
“This is about fairness. Property tax isn’t like sales tax—when one property is undervalued, others have to pay more,” said Jackson County Assessor Gail McCann Beatty. “The only way to ensure fairness is to assess all properties at market value, as required by state law. We’ve seen that many homes have been undervalued for years, forcing others to overpay. We cannot stand by and allow this injustice to continue.”
 
Just weeks ago, Attorney General Bailey claimed this case was “one of the most important pieces of litigation to reach a Missouri courtroom in decades,” yet after only three days of trial, he chose to drop the case entirely. This abrupt reversal exposes the lawsuit for what it truly was: a politically motivated tactic that has cost Missouri taxpayers countless dollars and eroded public trust.
 
Jackson County firmly believes that fairness will prevail once again, and we will not allow our community to be sacrificed for political gain.
 
Attached to this release are the social media post from the State’s witness and the amicus brief from our school districts, highlighting the severe consequences of this reckless order.
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