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County appraiser warns big-box property tax appeals could expose taxing units to large liabilities
Summary
Douglas County appraiser Brad Eldridge told commissioners the county defends most appeals but is facing a backlog of commercial appeals, noting big-box cases and other pending matters could translate into large potential tax-loss exposure across taxing districts — he estimated a rough $809.1 million figure for requested reductions.
Lawrence, Kan. — Douglas County’s appraiser briefed the commissioners on Nov. 12 about the county’s property tax appeals, the structure of appeals to the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals (BOTA), and the staffing and fiscal risks posed by large commercial cases.
Brad Eldridge, the county appraiser, explained the three levels of appeal: local informal appeals after March value notices, the payment-under-protest option tied to tax payments in December/May, and the supplemental third-party appraisal option introduced about five years ago. He said a residential third-party appraisal typically costs about $500; commercial appraisals commonly cost $2,000–$5,000 and can reach $10,000…
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