Thunderstorms threaten from the west at the Plaza Art Fair last Friday evening.The rains held off until the next morning. It was a good night to view some art, enjoy the music and, take a break by resting from all the walking along Brush Creek.
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LEE’S
SUMMIT, BLUE SPRINGS AND INDEPENDENCE
Challenge Jackson County
over
Reassessment
Three Eastern Jackson County cities have announced they plan to file lawsuits regarding the Re-Assessment process used by Jackson County
to determine the value of homes in the County. Those cities are: Lee’s Summit,
Independence and Blue Springs.
Prior to the lawsuits, five municipal governments
approved Resolutions condemning Jackson County for irregularities in the
reassessment process.
The Jackson County Legislature has formally requested the Missouri State Auditor’s Office to investigate the handling of the reassessment process.
The Missouri State Auditor has responded. A full
investigation is currently underway.
OUR VIEW . . .
One of the responsibilities of an elected official in Missouri is
to support the provisions of all laws
of the State of Missouri.
Five cities in Eastern Jackson County, Lee’s Summit, Independence, Blue Springs, Pleasant Valley and Raytown, have adopted Resolutions calling for Jackson County Government to address a flawed process in assessing property values in 2023. The five cities have also asked Jackson County Executive Frank White to roll back property values to those used in the 2022 Assessment Cycle.
County Executive Frank White has refused to roll back the value of property per the request of the five cities.
Three of those cities have backed up their resolution by filing law suits against Jackson County. Those cities are Independence, Lee’s Summit and Blue Springs.
The elected officials in those cities have stepped up on behalf of the people they represent. We commend them for their action.
A war of words between
Mayor and Ward 4 Alderman
BY GREG WALTERS
Ward 4 Alderman Bill Van Buskirk and Mayor Michael McDonough had some verbal back and forth on how “Consent Agenda” items are handled by the Raytown Board of Aldermen.
The “Consent Agenda” is the act of grouping a number of business items on the agenda into one item for a single vote for approval. At the last meeting of the Board there were 7 items on the Consent Agenda.
Typically these are considered “housekeeping items” that may be voted on with one roll call of the Board.
State Law restricts Consent Agenda items to actions by the City that do not affect the City Budget.
Mayor and McDonough and Ward 4 Alderman VanBuskirk were not in agreement on how to interpret the rules for Consent Agenda items.
Use the following link to listen to what was an interesting exchange between the two men:
USE THIS LINK . . . CONSENT AGENDA DISCUSSION
SCROLL DOWN TO THE FOURTH ITEM - CONSENT AGENDA
YOU BE THE JUDGE!
The following language is from the City’s Code of Ordinances. The highlighted item (see below) is the pertinent
section addressing how an item can be removed from the Consent Agenda without a
vote, provided there is no objection from by the remaining members of the
Board.
The ordinance language clearly backs up Alderman VanBuskirk’s position.
Sec. 2-497. Consent
agenda.
(a)
The agenda for every regular meeting of the board of aldermen shall include a
consent agenda for the purpose of taking action on routine and noncontroversial
items, where documentation provided to the board that is adequate and
sufficient for approval without inquiry or discussion. The consent agenda is
intended to minimize the time required for the handling of any noncontroversial
matters and permit additional time to be spent on more significant matters.
(b)
The presiding officer may place items on the consent agenda, except that the
following matters may not be placed on the consent agenda any matter which by
law requires a public hearing, any matter which will increase a budget
appropriation, and any matter requiring approval by ordinance.
(c)
An item designated for the consent agenda may be removed from the consent
agenda at the request of the mayor or an alderman, where there is no objection
by the remaining members of the board. If there is an objection to removal of an item from the consent
agenda, the item may be removed by a motion and vote of the board.*
(d)
When removed, items shall be considered individually at the end of the consent
agenda at the same meeting.
(e) The
published agenda shall clearly distinguish consent from regular agenda items.
(f)
At any meeting at which there is a consent agenda, the ayes and nays shall be
taken upon the passage of all items on the consent agenda by a single board
vote. It shall not be necessary that there be a reading of the titles or the
effect of the items on a consent agent.
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| BY GREG WALTERS |
On September 15, 2023 the City of
Independence sent the following press release to media contacts. The document
is announcement that the City of Independence has retained Charles Hatfield of
Stinson, LLP to represent them in litigation with Jackson County, Missouri in
an attempt to correct “inconsistent and unfair processes related to the
assessment of real property taxes” in Jackson County.
The press following press release was originally published by the City
of Independence on the City’s website.
"The
Independence City Council has voted to move forward with filing a lawsuit
against Jackson County regarding recent property tax
On July
17, the City Council approved a resolution to direct the City Manager to
consult with the City Counselor to determine whether the City could join an
existing class action lawsuit. The City Council met in an executive session on
September 14, where, after hearing guidance from legal counsel, they made the
final decision to proceed with their own lawsuit.
The
City has retained Charles Hatfield with Stinson, LLP, to represent them in this
matter and anticipates the lawsuit to be filed in Jackson County within one
week.
A joint
statement from the Independence City Council reads:
“In the
wake of continuous failures by Jackson County officials to correct their
inconsistent and unfair processes related to the assessment of real property
taxes, the Independence City Council has authorized City staff to retain legal
counsel to initiate a lawsuit against Jackson County.
The
Independence City Council did not make this decision lightly, but feels
litigation has become necessary in order to stand up for the interests of
Independence residents and ensure the assessment process is being done in
compliance with state law.
It is
the City’s hope that this unfortunate, but necessary action, will finally force
Jackson County to do what is right for the City of Independence and its
residents.”
Lawsuit against Jackson County over tax assessments
Lee’s Summit, Missouri
has filed a lawsuit against Jackson County on how this year's property
assessments were conducted.
In a press release Lee’s Summit Mayor Bill Baird said, “For too long the County and its officials have offered one excuse after another for their failure to correctly assess real property. People are over or underpaying,"
Baird continued, “The
County still won’t get it right and Lee’s Summit just can’t wait any longer.”
ANALYSIS:
The
lawsuit filed by Lee’s Summit may just be the tip of the iceberg. It was not
that long ago that a Class Action Lawsuit was filed by a law firm out of
Indepence for not delivering Tax Assessment notices to Jackson County property
owners on a timely basis.
The Class Action Lawsuit was quickly followed by resolutions from City Councils in Independence, Lee’s Summit, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, and finally, Raytown, calling for a roll-back of taxes to rates charged in 2022.
Ward 1 Alderman Greg Walters successfully sponsored the resolution in Raytown. His thoughts on the Lee’s Summit law suit are interesting.
Walters said, “Raytown was hammered by outrageously high property tax increases just as Lee’s Summit.”
“It would make sense for Raytown and all other cities that called for changes in the Assessment process to join in the lawsuit,” continued Walters.
Walters pointed out that litigation of this nature is slow moving. He believes there is plenty of time for other cities to join Lee’s Summit in its efforts.
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| BY PAUL LIVIUS |
Aldermen approve Resolution calling for Rollback of Jackson County Property Tax
At the September 5th the Raytown Board of Aldermen approved a resolution asking the County Executive to rollback property taxes levels to those set in 2022. In so doing, the City of Raytown joins five other elected governmental bodies* with similar requests to correct errors by the Jackson County Assessment office.
6. R-3541-23: A RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING THE JACKSON COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO MAINTAIN ASSESSED VALUATIONS FOR REAL PROPERTY IN JACKSON COUNTY AT THEIR 2022 LEVELS FOR CALENDAR YEAR.
Point of contact: Alderman Greg Walters
YES: Greg Walters, Theresa Garza, Bill VanBuskirk, Jim Aziere, Loretha Hayden
NO: Ryan Myers, Bonnaye Mims, Diane Krizek, Janet Emerson
ABSENT: Ian Scott
Use the following link to access the video of the meeting.
Go to Item 6 on the Agenda.
USE THIS LINK . . . September 5, 2023 BOA Meeting
USE THIS LINK TO Comment AND VIEW COMMENTS
 |
| BY GREG WALTERS |
Watch sign in my neighborhood. It is the brain child of Brooke Madrid. Mrs. Madrid was a victim of auto theft from her home in the Park Dell / Village Green subdivision.
She did some checking and found out her car was not the only theft in the neighborhood. A home being remodeled was broke into and all the workman’s tools were all stolen. Her investigation found property crimes in Raytown and auto thefts were running rampant in the area.
Her investigation led her what was left of her, a 50th Anniversary Limited Edition Dodge Challenger Scatpack. There were only 70 of that make, model and color made by Dodge. It had been stripped and sold parts.
Brooke told us locking the car in the driveway is not enough, “The thieves solved that problem by simply breaking the glass, silently rolling my car down the street and hot-wiring it once it was away from our home.”
Now, Brooke and her husband, Arthur, garage their cars every night.
Brooke believes the best way to fight crime is through neighborhood and community participation. “It will take all of us to work together, with the police, to make our neighborhoods safe again”, said Brooke.
Like the sign reads, “WE CALL THE POLICE”. All you have to do is dial 911 to report ANY crime or suspicious activity in your neighborhood.
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