• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Tuesday, May 17, 2022
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
No Result
View All Result
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
No Result
View All Result

On split vote, county opposes occupancy tax

Ivan Foley by Ivan Foley
December 20, 2006
in Platte County
3
SHARES
81
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

Platte County Commissioners on a split vote turned down a proposal to adopt an occupancy tax method for assessing taxes on new homes in the county.

The proposal would have called for new homes to be taxed at the vacant lot rate–rather than the higher residential rate–until the home is sold.

RelatedNews

Hunters can take advantage of coyote control season

Quilt for an injured cop

Republican women’s group to meet Jan. 27

The occupancy system would call for the tax rate on the home to rise to the full residential tax assessment on the first day of the month after a buyer purchases the home.

Voting for the switch to occupancy was first district commissioner Tom Pryor. Opposed were presiding commissioner Betty Knight and second district commissioner Jim Plunkett.

Currently, a home under construction must be at least 50% completed before it goes on the tax rolls.

Homebuilders Association of Greater Kansas City has been slowly pushing for Platte County to make the change to the occupancy tax system. The homebuilders consider the county’s current system as a tax on their inventory (vacant homes).

The homebuilders say the county’s assessment/taxation method prevents them from building spec homes, unoccupied homes that builders can show to potential buyers.

“It’s a financial risk people can’t afford to do,” said Chris Byrd, an attorney who spoke on behalf of the homebuilders at Thursday’s meeting of the county commission.

In other counties that have the occupancy tax, the spec homes are taxed only at the lot rate until sold and occupied by the homeowner.

Representatives from every school district in the county were on hand to show opposition to the proposal.

Dr. Mark Harpst, Platte County R-3 superintendent, said schools are worried about loss of tax revenue from homes that are not occupied.

Harpst also pointed out that if a home is not assessed at its true value, it causes a negative effect on a school district’s total assessed valuation, which in turn negatively affects a school district’s bonding capacity. A school district’s ability to generate bonding is capped according to its total assessed valuation.

Harpst said the Liberty, Smithville and Kearney school districts have reported that occupancy taxation has not been financially beneficial to their districts.

Homebuilders argue the occupancy tax will actually increase tax revenue because full taxation will occur as soon as the home is occupied.

“If this is so great for the schools, why isn’t it addressed at the state level, making all counties the same?” Knight asked rhetorically.

It was reported that Clay, Jackson and Cass counties use the occupancy method in the greater Kansas City area.

Under the system Platte County currently uses, a home at less than 50% completion as of Jan. 1 would be taxed at only the lot value. If the home is fully completed by April 1 for example, the property is still only assessed at that lot value for the first year, not reassessed at its actual value until the first of the following year.

Assessor Lisa Pope said she opposes the change to the occupancy system.

“I don’t have a computer system that will handle it. I’m in the middle of a conversion that will take at least a year,” she told the commission on Thursday.

In a later interview, Pope told The Landmark that a change to the occupancy system would mean she would also have to hire a another appraiser for her staff.

In addition, she has a philosophical disagreement with the occupancy system.

“If the house is there, it needs to be taxed (regardless of whether it is occupied),” she said.

The commission session lasted approximately two hours and was held in front of a packed meeting room.

Tags: platte countytaxes
Ivan Foley

Ivan Foley

Ivan Foley, owner/publisher of the Platte County Landmark, has been on the news beat in Kansas City's Northland for 40 years. He provides weekly observations in his Between the Lines column and serves as host of Landmark Live, a light-hearted videocast featuring newsmakers in the Northland.

Related Posts

45 Years Ago–May 13, 1977

by Ivan Foley
May 13, 2022
0

Dr. Carl Myers purchase the Platte Medical Clinic in Platte City this week and plans to open his office here in the near future. Dr. Nourbaksh will continue to be located in the Platte Medical Clinic. Mr. and Mrs. Louis...

30 Years Ago–May 15, 1992

by Ivan Foley
May 13, 2022
0

Bob Foster, vice principal of Fort Osage Junior High in northeast Independence, has been hired as principal at West Platte High School in Weston. Two girls tied with the same grade point average have been declared valedictorians of the class...

15 Years Ago–May 9, 2007

by Ivan Foley
May 13, 2022
0

It has been a hectic week for Platte County residents and business owners with property in low-lying areas, as heavy rains across the region have forced rivers and streams out of their banks. Areas in and around Parkville, Riverside, Tracy...

The 80's

Kim Carnes and never buy gas on Tuesdays

by Ivan Foley
May 13, 2022
0

Gonna hit you with some pop culture stuff this week. Just because I want to. Season four of Ozark on Netflix. Have you finished it yet? Let's get through this without spoiling it for those who haven't made it all...

Next Post

R-3 moving ahead with April bond election

Popular News

  • Area distillery releases first new bourbon in 30 years

    Area distillery releases first new bourbon in 30 years

    21 shares
    Share 8 Tweet 5
  • Large logistics park planned east of I-29

    198 shares
    Share 79 Tweet 50
  • Bee Creek Bridge replacement set

    8 shares
    Share 3 Tweet 2
  • Memorial Day Weekend Celebration planned

    7 shares
    Share 3 Tweet 2
  • City extends lease on temporary police station

    6 shares
    Share 2 Tweet 2
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Call us at 816-858-0363

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe Online
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem
    • Results by Week
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?