Kansas
Kansas lawmakers campaigned on property tax relief. What did they deliver?
Will property tax relief come to Kansans in 2025?
What do Kansas Republican and Democratic leaders say about tax relief in 2025?
As they left Topeka for the year, Kansas lawmakers expressed disappointment that they didn’t do more to accomplish a top campaign promise: property tax relief.
Republicans especially and at least some Democrats made property tax relief a focal point of their 2024 election campaigns, and the GOP credited the message with helping secure victories and expand their supermajorities. Despite the campaign promises, lawmakers delivered little relief in 2025.
“We came here with a mandate to do something about property tax,” said Sen. Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee, on the last day of session. “Not that we haven’t, here in the Senate. We’ve done our job. I really think we’ve done a very good job in trying to push that. I’m just disappointed that we end up at the end of this session with no real relief for those homeowners who are facing selling their home or paying their property tax.”
Thompson suggested that members of the House “didn’t hear the message.”
“We’re going to have to go home, we’re going to have to explain to people what we didn’t get done and why,” Thompson said. “It’s going to be a hard sell. But I’m hopeful that in 2026 we can push the ball forward.”
Republicans were unified on message, but not on plans
While Republican leadership entered the 2025 session with a unified message of property tax relief, it quickly became apparent that House and Senate leadership were not unified on how to accomplish it.
“Well, we really haven’t worked on it yet,” House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, said in January when asked by The Capital-Journal whether Republicans were united on how to cut property taxes. “I can guarantee you we will have property tax relief this year, and we will have some type of a response to the increase in property values.”
“We’re unified on the end goal,” added Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, as leadership spoke with reporters following the governor’s State of the State address.
He added, “We’re still working through the details of what that looks like.”
What were the biggest ideas for property tax relief in 2025?
The most significant idea — and the most controversial — was a Republican proposal to amend the Kansas Constitution to cap the growth in appraisals.
Senate Republicans have been pushing the idea for at least a few years, which supporters argue would address the rising property valuations that result in property tax increases. In 2025, the Senate’s Republican supermajority passed a 3% cap and a 4% cap.
But it faced stiff opposition from House Republicans, including from Hawkins, who said it has “a lot of problems” and “unintended consequences.” House Republicans rejected the cap and instead proposed an averaging system, which Senate Republicans rejected.
The idea that appeared from the start to be the most likely to have bipartisan support was reducing the state mill levy. The two main proposals to accomplish that were a House GOP plan to reduce the levy used to fund schools by 1.5 mills and a Senate GOP plan to eliminate 1.5 mills used to fund state buildings.
The Senate version was passed with bipartisan support and signed into law by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.
Another idea proposed later in the session was a House Republican plan to send state money to local governments as an incentive to not raise taxes, similar to a program that House Republicans pushed to eliminate last year. The new plan also incorporated a protest petition to block local tax increases and an elimination of the current revenue neutral process.
Despite negotiations during veto session, Senate Republicans were not intrigued enough by the idea to put it to a vote before leaving town.
Meanwhile, Democrats had no proposals for significant property tax relief at the start of session. Later, Senate Democrats proposed a committee to study the issue.
How much will mill levy cut save homeowners?
Lawmakers did deliver some property tax relief with Senate Bill 35, starting in 2026. That new law, which had bipartisan support and was signed by Kelly, eliminates 1.5 mills of the 21.5 total state portion of the property tax levy.
Statewide, that equates to a $81 million tax cut in fiscal year 2027. But for individual homeowners, the relief is limited.
For owners of a $100,000 home, eliminating 1.5 mills equates to an annual savings of about $17. For a $250,000 home, the savings are about $43. For a $400,000 home, the savings are $69.
What politicians say about property tax relief
“We took action in Topeka this year to eliminate the state portion of the property tax,” Hawkins said in an after-session Facebook post. “You’ll continue paying property taxes for county and city governments, schools, libraries, etc., but you’ll no longer see ‘State of Kansas’ on your bill!
“I encourage everyone to reach out to their local officials and hold them accountable for their portion of your property taxes!”
But Scott Schwab, the Republican secretary of state who is running for governor in 2026, was critical of legislative leadership.
“A year ago, following a special session to address taxation, legislative leaders vowed to focus on providing Kansans with real property tax relief,” Schwab said in a statement via his campaign. “There were campaign slogans and roadshows around the state to build support for cuts. Voters did their part, letting candidates and legislators know in no uncertain terms that property taxes were too high, valuations were rising faster than paychecks, and Kansans who had worked all their lives to have a home to call their own were being forced out.”
The resulting tax relief was “paltry,” Schwab said.
“This year, our main focus was supposed to be on reducing and/or reforming property taxes,” Rep. Brett Fairchild, R-St. John, said in an April 4 post on Facebook. “However, we were unable to pass a major property tax bill.”
The cut of 1.5 mills, he said, “isn’t a significant tax cut and isn’t a huge deal.”
“Most people in our state won’t notice the tax cut, since most local governments will likely increase property taxes by more than this state property tax cut,” Fairchild said. “However, it’s better than doing nothing at all, and I’m glad we were at least able to pass one bill through the legislature to reduce property taxes.”
Sen. Ethan Corson, D-Fairway, said that lawmakers did not pass “any meaningful property tax relief,” and he’s been hearing from constituents about it.
“The Legislature, they campaigned on that they were going to reduce our property taxes,” Corson said. “They said it at the beginning of session that they were going to reduce our property taxes. And we still don’t yet have any significant property tax relief that we can bring to our constituents.
“I continue to disagree with the continued focus on the income tax piece of our tax equation when what we both promised to our constituents — and what our constituents have shared with us that they would like to see — is robust, meaningful property tax relief.”
Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker and chair of the Senate tax committee, described the cut of 1.5 mills as “actual property tax relief.”
“They’re going to say it’s minimal, but you know what? It’s a step in the right direction,” Tyson said.
She was also critical of Democrats for not having significant ideas of their own.
“What was their idea this year? Oh, let’s propose a committee that studies property taxes,” Tyson said.
Sen. Virgil Peck, R-Havana and vice chair of the Senate tax committee, said he was proud of the Legislature’s work on tax cuts, especially a plan to gradually move to a flat income tax as well as the elimination of the 1.5 mills.
“I would like to see us do more — a lot more — as it relates to property taxes,” Peck said. “We’re limited at the state level. Most property taxes are assessed at the local (level). … I think we could do better when it comes to property tax reductions.”
Sen. Renee Erickson, R-Wichita, shared a similar sentiment.
“I’m very disappointed we did not do more for our constituents back home on property tax, and I hope that we seriously are able to do something next session,” she said.
Tyson said tax policy changes often take years to make it through the legislative process.
“We are not going to stop fighting for our constituents and to fix a broken property tax (system) while we continue to stop growing the beast that we keep feeding, and that is government,” Tyson said. “Income taxes, sales taxes, property taxes — Kansas has some of the highest in the nation, and we need to do what we can to reduce that.”
Kansas
Where to watch St. Louis Cardinals vs Kansas City Royals: TV channel, start time, streaming for June 19
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The 2026 MLB season has surpassed the quarter mark, and after each team’s first 40 games, there’s plenty of reasons to tune in all summer long.
Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami has already proven doubters wrong by launching 17 home runs, Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes consistently looks like the best version of himself on the mound and Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski is throwing harder than any starter in the majors.
The MLB action continues on Friday as the St. Louis Cardinals visit the Kansas City Royals.
Here’s everything you need to know to tune in for the first pitch.
See USA TODAY’s sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.
What time is St. Louis Cardinals vs Kansas City Royals?
First pitch between the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals is scheduled for (ET) on Friday, June 19.
How to watch St. Louis Cardinals vs Kansas City Royals on Friday
All times Eastern and accurate as of Friday, June 19, 2026, at 6:33 a.m.
- Matchup: STL at KC
- Date: Friday, June 19
- Time: (ET)
- Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
- Location: Kansas City, Missouri
- TV: Apple TV
- Streaming: MLB.TV on Fubo
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MLB scores, results
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See scores, results for all of today’s games.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) — It’s been a week since the World Cup began in Kansas City, but some local businesses aren’t feeling the expected influx in traffic and are asking for support.
On Thursday, KC2026 provided numbers for the FIFA Fan Festival and the ConnectKC26 transportation system.
From June 11 to June 16, KC2026 said more than 63,000 people attended the FIFA Fan Festival.
There are mixed results for where everyone is from:
- 52% from Kansas or Missouri
- 33% from the United States
- 15% from out of the country
As of 2 p.m. on June 17, ConnectKC26 has a total of 86,540 registered passes.
Breakdown of routes from KC2026:
- Stadium Direct: 57,302
- Regional Direct: 17,284
- Airport Direct: 11,954
As for business traffic, it depends on where you look. Some businesses in the Country Club Plaza said they’ve seen an uptick, especially on the first match day.
“We just had a really fun time with all of the fans, and I think we did a good job preparing for it,” said KC Style Haus Owner, Deserae Minor.
But many businesses are sharing their disappointment online.
‘Ghost town’
Caitlin Benedict, who owns Bisou, a European-style coffee and pastry shop, took to Instagram after shopping at a Crossroads night market.
“We are all in this together, it sucks. It was dead. It’s been dead everywhere,” said Bisou Owner, Caitlin Benedict.
After sharing her disappointment online, she saw an uptick in business on Thursday.
“It’s nice when the community can help out, and you can back up your own hometown at the same time,” said Janet Garciga, who drove in from Lee’s Summit to visit Bisou.
“I don’t want them to just come to Bisou, and I don’t want it to just be for a day. I want them to go everywhere else, and I want them to support everyone else, and consistently, especially for the next month and a half while FIFA is here,” said Benedict.
She heard from businesses experiencing the same issues in Mission, other spots downtown, Kansas City, Kansas, and Overland Park.
Down the road in the Crossroads, Buffalo State Pizza saw fans for the French match on Tuesday.
“But after that, I mean, we even close early on Tuesday because that was, it was dead,” said Buffalo State Pizza Owner, Phillippe Lechevin.
Shopping bags and matchas aren’t filling up at Dear Society either.
“The 10 years that I’ve been here in Kansas City. I have seen a lot of these big events coming into town, and we’ve been told to prepare and get ready for these huge crowds. And to be honest, after the NFL draft and after so many things that I’ve seen in 10 years, I didn’t do anything different,” said Dear Society Owner, Chanel Jezek. “I kind of knew. I had a feeling like we weren’t going to be as busy as they were projecting because they’ve done this to us before.”
Multiple factors = slow traffic
All three, Bisou, Buffalo State Pizza, and Dear Society, said there isn’t really someone to blame, but rather multiple factors that could be part of the issues.
A lot of eateries in town added a 20% automatic gratuity to bills, Bisou and Buffalo State Pizza decided not to take part, but worry that it is keeping locals away.
Visit KC projected 650,000 visitors throughout the entire tournament, and these businesses wonder if the possibility of large crowds and no parking is also keeping residents at home.
“I think we lost a lot of the regular ones. You know, the number was shown earlier back in February, you know, the 600,000 people. People who have the option to work from home, but maybe they didn’t want to deal with the traffic, since there’s no traffic. So hopefully they’re going to come back,” said Lechevin. “People may realize, actually, you know, it’s not as crazy as it is. I can still park in my regular spot and have lunch at my regular spot without being, you know, charged an extra amount.”
Jezek said she’d love to see KC2026 and FIFA add more locally owned businesses on their website so fans know where to find them.
“We are not seeing an increase in traffic on the streets. We are not crowded like they were predicting. You can still come in. You can still support your local businesses, your favorite coffee shops, your favorite places to grab your gifts, or whatever. We’re here. We’re slow. And there are more places to park,” said Jezek.
Benedict said it is an honor to have the World Cup here, but wants to see more honesty and support from leaders.
“I feel like it’s good for our city. It’s recognition. But at the same time, I want leadership to step in and say, okay, we didn’t get as many travelers as we should have,” said Benedict.
These businesses are hopeful that fans, locals, and other owners all come out and support these small shops throughout the metro during the World Cup and beyond.
“I would say just keep coming and supporting us and showing up,” said Jezek.
KCTV5 reached out to Visit KC, but did not have any numbers it could share at this time.
Mayor Quinton Lucas’ office shared the statement below after this story aired on Thursday:
“While the economic impact of a global event of this magnitude will naturally vary by business and by neighborhood, Mayor Lucas is encouraged by what he is hearing from Kansas City’s entertainment and hospitality sectors. Hotels, bars, and restaurants reported strong activity as Kansas City welcomed tens of thousands of guests for the opening match. As we look toward this weekend’s games and the remainder of the tournament, we’ll continue to highlight opportunities for our visitors and residents alike to join in the fun and celebration of this one in a generation moment.”
Businesses are hopeful that the longer the World Cup goes on, the more people will show up. KCTV5 plans to check in with these businesses throughout the tournament to see if traffic picks up.
Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.
Cooler temperatures today, but we will keep a chance of thunderstorms going in south-central Kansas this morning. One or two could be strong.
Temperatures stay cooler in southern Kansas thanks to clouds and rain in the area. Warmer temps and sunshine to the north.
Another chance of severe weather will visit Kansas this weekend, with a complex of strong storms rolling across the area Saturday night.
KSN Storm Track 3 Forecast from Meteorologist Jack Maney:
Wichita:
Today: Mostly cloudy. 60% chance of showers and storms. Hi: 80 Wind: NE 8-18
Tonight: Mostly to partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers. Lo: 62 Wind: NE/E 5-15
Tomorrow: Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms. Hi: 85 Wind: E/SE 5-15
Tomorrow Night: Partly to mostly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms. Lo: 68 Wind: SE 5-15
Wichita Weekly
Sat: Hi: 87 Lo: 73 Partly to mostly cloudy. 50% chance of showers and storms.
Sun: Hi: 92 Lo: 67 Mostly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms.
Mon: Hi: 82 Lo: 65 Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
Tue: Hi: 84 Lo: 66 Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
Wed: Hi: 86 Lo: 68 Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.
Thu: Hi: 88 Lo: 69 Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
SOUTHWEST: Dodge City, Garden City, Liberal, Greensburg, Guymon
Southwest:
Today: Partly to mostly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms. Hi: 84 Wind: NE/E 10-25
Tonight: Mostly to partly cloudy. Lo: 58 Wind: E/SE 5-15
Tomorrow: Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms. Hi: 85 Wind: SE 8-18
Tomorrow Night: Partly to mostly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms. Lo: 62 Wind: SE 5-15
Southwest Weekly
Sat: Hi: 92 Lo: 66 Mostly cloudy. 40% chance of showers and storms.
Sun: Hi: 91 Lo: 59 Mostly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.
Mon: Hi: 82 Lo: 58 Mostly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms.
Tue: Hi: 83 Lo: 60 Mostly to partly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms.
Wed: Hi: 85 Lo: 61 Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.
Thu: Hi: 89 Lo: 62 Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
NORTHWEST: Colby, Goodland, Hill City, Oberlin, McCook
Northwest:
Today: Partly cloudy to mostly sunny. Hi: 86 Wind: NE/E 5-15
Tonight: Mostly clear to partly cloudy. Lo: 61 Wind: E/S 5-15
Tomorrow: Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms. Hi: 86 Wind: S/SE 8-18
Tomorrow Night: Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms. Lo: 61 Wind: SE 5-15
Northwest Weekly
Sat: Hi: 90 Lo: 61 Partly to mostly cloudy. 50% chance of showers and storms.
Sun: Hi: 84 Lo: 55 Mostly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.
Mon: Hi: 78 Lo: 56 Mostly to partly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms.
Tue: Hi: 82 Lo: 58 Partly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms.
Wed: Hi: 85 Lo: 59 Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.
Thu: Hi: 87 Lo: 60 Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
NORTHCENTRAL: Salina, Great Bend, Hays, Russell, Beloit, Osborne
North Central:
Today: Mostly to partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms. Hi: 83 Wind: NE 8-18
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lo: 60 Wind: NE/SE 5-15
Tomorrow: Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms. Hi: 86 Wind: SE 8-18
Tomorrow Night: Partly to mostly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms. Lo: 66 Wind: SE 5-15
North Central Weekly
Sat: Hi: 88 Lo: 70 Partly to mostly cloudy. 70% chance of showers and storms.
Sun: Hi: 88 Lo: 63 Mostly cloudy. 30% chance of showers and storms.
Mon: Hi: 81 Lo: 62 Mostly to partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
Tue: Hi: 84 Lo: 64 Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.
Wed: Hi: 86 Lo: 66 Partly cloudy. 20% chance of showers and storms.
Thu: Hi: 88 Lo: 67 Partly cloudy. 10% chance of showers and storms.
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