Resident questions sharp property tax increases; county cites reassessment and a prior error
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
A resident asked why property tax bills rose by about 10% for his parcels. County officials said a state‑mandated reassessment and a one‑time correction related to "Shawnee College" explain most of the increase and that the county's share is small.
Don Law told the Union County Board that his property tax bills increased "between 9.98% and 11.89%" across six parcels and asked for an explanation for the rise.
A county official responded that the state mandated a reassessment after property values rose and that the county used the required multiplier, producing an average assessed‑value increase of roughly 8%. The official said the largest single factor in the bill increase this year was a correction tied to the Shawnee College line, described at the meeting as a one‑time accounting error that must be made up this year because it was missed by the college's comptroller last year.
The official said the county's portion of the tax increase is "very minute" compared with other taxing districts and that the Shawnee College adjustment should drop out next year. Law and other commenters suggested the county include explanatory information with tax bills so taxpayers understand reasons for sudden increases.
No formal action was taken at the meeting; the exchange occurred during the public‑comment period.