property taxes

Property tax issues frustrate lawmakers who struck out in 2026 regular session

Kansas lawmakers have promised for years to fix sky-high property tax bills. But the 2026 session ended with both Democrats and Republicans disappointed and vowing to try again next year.

Bid to punish House GOP lawmakers triggers backlash against ‘political theater’

The bill, which resembles a package Gov. Laura Kelly previously vetoed, effectively limits annual spending increases by local governments to 3% or the inflation rate, whichever is smaller.

The resolution, which would have been on the August ballot for voters to decide, limits the assessed valuation of residential, commercial, and agricultural property from jumping more than 9% in any one year.

Property tax relief legislation is left in the lurch while the House and Senate iron out a viable path forward

Kansas lawmakers are more optimistic about the chances of passing property tax relief this session. One proposal is a constitutional amendment that would cap property tax valuation changes at 3% for most properties, while another would cap spending by local governments.

Driven by an overheated residential market and decades of commercial exemptions, a flip in the tax base has left families paying the lion’s share for schools, roads and emergency services.

Some people could see a lower property tax amount with a cap in place compared to previous years. But because local governments still retain the authority to set tax rates, lower property taxes are not a given.

Much of the tension flows from a combination of the Legislature mandating local government services, then trying to regulate local property taxes.