Commission reviews county property-tax waiver policy after state statute change; staff to draft tighter rules

Thomas Henry, assistant county counselor, briefed the commission on state statute KSA 79-1613 and Sedgwick County Policy 2.304, which govern property tax abatements or credits for buildings destroyed or substantially damaged by events such as fires, floods or disasters.

“KSA 79 dash 1 6 1 3, it allows the county commissioners in the state to provide either property tax abatement or a credit towards, if you've already paid your property taxes for towards future years of property tax, taxes owed,” Thomas Henry said, summarizing the statute and emphasizing that the authority is permissive, not mandatory. Henry explained the statute’s eligibility rules and timing constraints and noted that the statute was amended in 2022 to broaden eligibility beyond homesteads.

Henry said qualifying events must be an event such as an earthquake, flood, tornado, fire, storm or any event declared a disaster by the state of Kansas…