Missouri

Jackson County executive vows to fight Missouri order to roll back property tax assessments

Published

1 year ago

August 13, 2024

Jackson County executive vows to fight Missouri order to roll back property tax assessments

Jackson County officials say they plan to fight a recent ruling from the Missouri State Commission that ordered the county to roll back its 2023 property tax assessment.

The commission told Jackson County to reevaluate its 2023 assessments within 30 days, by Sept. 5. Jackson County Executive Frank White, along with County Assessor Gail McCann Beatty, County Administrator Troy Schulte and the county’s legal team, said Monday that they are exploring an appeal.

Deputy assessment director Maureen Monaghan said the commission’s ruling, should it go into effect, would hurt the taxing jurisdictions that rely heavily on revenue collected from property taxes.

“The State Tax Commission has never issued a retroactive assessment, because they know the detrimental impact it has on the schools, the cities, the fire districts, the libraries, the blind,” she said.

The order issued last week threatens to upend an assessment process that has already caused frustration for many homeowners and served as another flashpoint between Jackson County Executive Frank White and members of the county legislature.

Legislators say the county should not open up another legal challenge, and should instead focus on mitigating taxpayers’ burden while reducing harm to taxing districts like public schools, whose budgets could be in jeopardy.

“Everybody in the county knows that we did not do all this properly,” said Legislator Sean Smith. “It’s just such an obvious, glaring fact that, I’m asking for collaboration and believe the fix can be had so that we fix this for taxpayers, and we don’t harm the taxing entities any more than necessary.”

Many taxing jurisdictions and local governments already set their budgets and established their tax rates for this year — many of them lower than previous years to offset the increased assessed value. Taxpayers already paid their 2023 tax bill, which reflected the new values.

Calculations from County Executive White’s office estimate that schools and libraries could lose more than $86 million; cities and fire districts could lose nearly $20 million.

County officials say about $118 million has already been collected from property tax revenue and allocated to taxing jurisdictions like school districts.

“It’s been spent on teachers,” said County Administrator Troy Schulte. “It’s been spent on firefighters. It’s been spent on prosecutors, in the case of the county and corrections officer. That money is spent.”

The commission ordered Jackson County to cap increases of assessed values at no higher than 15%. That means most homeowners’ assessments will be lowered to 2021 or 2022 levels, plus a 15% increase.

The State Tax Commission alleges that Jackson County failed to follow state law and properly notify property owners in writing whose assessed values increased by 15%. The commission said the county also failed to comply with state law by not performing a physical inspection of properties where the assessed value went up by 15%.

The commission also said the county did not provide homeowners with clear written notice of their rights to a physical inspection.

Jackson County’s 2023 assessment process raised property assessments by an average of 30%, and some homeowners saw increases above 100%.

Next steps

It’s unclear what, exactly, will happen next, with county officials at odds over how to respond to the state tax commission’s ruling.

The commission does not give instructions beyond the order to roll back 2023 assessments.

The county could simply cap assessment values at 15% where applicable, and not issue a refund to taxpayers. Officials say that could open the county up to liability from taxpayers who may have overpaid in their 2023 tax bill.

The county could issue refunds to homeowners whose assessed property values increased by more than 15%. But county officials in the executive’s office say refunds are unlikely because much of the money has already been allocated to county services and taxing jurisdictions – and the county can’t afford it.

The county could issue refunds to eligible homeowners and then claw back that revenue by not allocating money to taxing districts over a certain period of time. That option, too, could be detrimental to city governments, public libraries and public schools.

Impact on school districts, libraries, cities

If the State Tax Commission’s order goes into effect, it’s likely to cause headaches for jurisdictions like school districts, public libraries and local governments that receive a significant portion of revenue from property taxes.

County Counselor Bryan Covinsky said 65% of property tax collections go to school districts and 17% of that money goes to localities like Kansas City.

Kansas City estimated about $9 million in property tax revenue for its 2024 fiscal year budget, which the city council passed in the spring. Property taxes are the city’s third-largest revenue source.

Covinsky said the county will work with school districts, cities and impacted taxing jurisdictions to figure out the best way to legally challenge the commission’s order.

“It’s unconstitutional, it’s unprecedented, and it has no evidence to even prove it,” Covinsky said. “We’re going to be working with the subdivisions that have actually been harmed by this decision that’s done retroactively that will affect the future of their budgets as well.”

What does it mean for taxpayers?

County Administrator Schulte said the commission’s ruling will likely not result in homeowners receiving a refund or tax credit, even if their home’s assessed value goes down. Instead, taxing jurisdictions like school districts will have to reevaluate the rate they ask taxpayers to pay based on their home’s assessed value.

School districts must set their levy by Oct. 1 each year. Missouri’s Hancock Amendment requires districts to lower their levies if property values increase more than inflation, so lower levies offset the impact of higher assessments on taxpayers.

Last year, higher assessments led to school districts in Lee’s Summit and Blue Springs to reduce their levies. Kansas City Public Schools is exempt from the Hancock Amendment, so its levy did not change.

Schulte said taxing districts will likely increase their levy, in line with Missouri law. He said when assessed values decline, the state constitution lets taxing districts raise their levy to allow districts to collect the amount of revenue they had already budgeted for.

“What you’re looking at is potentially the largest tax increases, because of the state tax commission order, in the history of Jackson County,” Shculte said. “I want to disabuse people that they’re going to get some lovely refund check because of this egregious error by the county. It’s not going to happen, and in most cases, you’re going to pay a lot more.”

Should taxing districts increase their levy this year, Schulte warned, homeowners whose assessed values did not exceed 15% could be hardest hit. Their tax bill would end up increasing to make up for the decrease in assessed values for other homeowners.

“That’s the reality we’re going to deal with over the next couple of months, unless we can find a solution to this,” Schulte said. “There is no free lunch in local government, so the bills have to be paid some way, somehow.”

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Missouri

Jackson County voters sue over new congressional map after 305K petition signatures ignored

Published

7 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

Jackson County voters sue over new congressional map after 305K petition signatures ignored

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Two Jackson County voters filed a lawsuit to stop Missouri’s new congressional map from being used in the 2026 elections.

The ACLU of Missouri says the suit was filed in Cole County Circuit Court on behalf of Jake Maggard and Gregg Lombardi. Both are registered voters who live in Jackson County.

The lawsuit claims that Missouri violated voters’ constitutional rights. The state implemented the new map on Dec. 11 despite a petition with more than 305,000 signatures demanding a public vote.

“By attempting to enact the new maps despite receiving more than 305,000 signatures from Missouri voters demanding a referendum, the Secretary of State is denying a longstanding tradition, judicial precedent, and our constitutional rights,” said Tori Schafer, Director of Policy and Campaigns at the ACLU of Missouri.

What the lawsuit seeks

The ACLU said it wants the court to suspend House Bill 1. The organization has asked a judge to prevent election officials from using the new congressional map until voters approve or reject it through a referendum.

The lawsuit names Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway and Secretary of State Denny Hoskins as defendants.

According to the suit, both Maggard and Lombardi live in Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District. Under the new map, they would be moved to the Fourth Congressional District.

FILE – Missouri’s attorney general is celebrating the new congressional map, but opponents argue that the map should not be in effect.(KCTV5/Hannah Falcon)

The petition controversy

People Not Politicians submitted 305,000 signatures to Secretary Hoskins on Dec. 9, according to the ACLU. That is nearly 3 times the number required to force a public vote on the congressional map.

The ACLU argues that century-old court rulings say a referendum petition should immediately suspend a law, no verification required.

In 2017, then-Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft suspended Missouri’s right-to-work law after more than 300,000 signatures were received. His office had not yet verified the signatures or issued a certificate.

But Hoskins has taken a different approach. He said the new map will remain in effect until his office certifies the petition signatures. A process that could take until July 2026.

Timeline of legal challenges

The Missouri General Assembly approved the new congressional map on Sept. 12, 2025, during a special session.

Opponents wasted no time in filing legal challenges. By Sept. 15, 3 lawsuits had been filed along with the referendum petition.

Several lawsuits claim the redistricting process was unconstitutional. One lawsuit noted that a southeast Kansas City Voter Tabulation District was placed in both Congressional Districts 4 and 5.

The Senior Director for Redistricting at Campaign Legal Center told KCTV5 in September that this means the districts are no longer equally populated. However, Governor Mike Kehoe’s office said there was no error in the map.

FILE - A lawsuit filed against Missouri’s newly passed congressional map claims the effort is... — FILE – A lawsuit filed against Missouri’s newly passed congressional map claims the effort is unlawful and points out one southeast Kansas City Voter Tabulation District, or VTD, was placed in both Congressional districts 4 & 5.(KCTV5/Chandler Watkins)

On Nov. 12, Cole County Judge Christopher Limbaugh heard arguments over whether the General Assembly legally redrew the congressional districts.

On Dec. 12, court records indicated that Limbaugh suspended the case until the petition signatures are certified or rejected. He ordered Hoskins to preserve all signatures filed with his office.

In early November, AG Hanaway filed her own lawsuit against People Not Politicians. She claimed the organization was trying to take redistricting power away from the state’s General Assembly.

Missouri’s top Senate Democrat, Doug Beck, sent Hanaway a letter demanding she dismiss the case. Beck said she did not have the party’s consent to represent them in that way.

Ballot language dispute

On Nov. 13, Hoskins certified the official ballot title for the referendum question. The ballot language describes the old map as “gerrymandered” and says it “protects incumbent politicians.”

However, People Not Politicians filed a lawsuit on Nov. 20 that claims the summary statement is intentionally argumentative and creates prejudice.

The organization also argues that Hoskins is not authorized to draft a summary statement for a referendum.

A bench trial on this dispute is scheduled for Jan. 16 in Cole County.

FILE - Just days before the deadline to turn in signatures, a Cole County judge hears... — FILE – Just days before the deadline to turn in signatures, a Cole County judge hears arguments over whether 92,000 signatures should count.(KCTV5/Hannah Falcon)

What happens next

The court has not yet set a hearing date for Tuesday’s lawsuit.

The filing period for congressional candidates begins Feb. 24, 2026. However, with the new map in effect, they would file for the new congressional districts. This could create more complications if the map is overturned.

Missouri will hold primary elections in August and the general election in November.

Hoskins has until July 2026 to certify whether the referendum petition contains enough valid signatures. If certified, the question would go to voters in the November general election.

Hanaway and Hoskins have said they are ready to defend the redistricting in court.

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Missouri

Missouri Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for Dec. 22, 2025

Published

19 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 22, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

03-18-36-41-54, Powerball: 07, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

Midday: 5-7-3

Midday Wild: 0

Evening: 1-1-5

Evening Wild: 0

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

Midday: 5-9-0-1

Midday Wild: 4

Evening: 0-3-8-5

Evening Wild: 0

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

07-12-22-25-27, Cash Ball: 01

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

Early Bird: 14

Morning: 09

Matinee: 12

Prime Time: 02

Night Owl: 10

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

03-04-13-20-32

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

14-32-47-48-69, Powerball: 17

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.

To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:

Ticket Redemption

Missouri Lottery

P.O. Box 7777

Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777

For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.

For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.

When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Missouri

Missouri Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 winning numbers for Dec. 21, 2025

Published

2 days ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 21, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

Midday: 9-5-2

Midday Wild: 3

Evening: 0-5-0

Evening Wild: 9

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

Midday: 3-4-0-7

Midday Wild: 0

Evening: 3-4-4-6

Evening Wild: 1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

15-25-30-40-55, Cash Ball: 02

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

Early Bird: 01

Morning: 06

Matinee: 14

Prime Time: 01

Night Owl: 10

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

04-07-13-22-32

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Ticket Redemption

Missouri Lottery

P.O. Box 7777

Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777

For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.

When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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