Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Property Tax Valuation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County clerk outlines assessed valuations and revenue‑neutral rate as Pittsburg prepares budgets
Summary
Crawford County Clerk Lisa Lesker presented final assessed valuations used to calculate the revenue‑neutral rate; officials discussed exemptions (including a hospital) and the CHIP housing program, with staff estimating market-driven valuation increases around 3% and noting the R&R affects the mill levy used for budgeting.
Crawford County Clerk Lisa Lesker told the Pittsburg City Commission on June 23 that appraisals for the 2026 tax year are finalized and supplied the figures municipal leaders need to set budgets and a revenue‑neutral rate (R&R).
"I'm Lisa Lesker, County Clerk," she said, then explained the mass‑appraisal workflow, how the appraiser's office compiles values as of Jan. 1, and how the R&R matches last year’s budgeted tax dollars to this year’s valuation.
Lesker and appraiser Zack Edwards described steps taken to remove a hospital valuation from the rolls — a roughly $15 million value that would likely be exempted through the Board of Tax Appeals — and to back out CHIP (Community Housing Incentive Program) properties expected to be tax‑exempt in the near term. Lesker said the valuation totals presented are a "snapshot" used for budget calculations and will be updated as exemptions and final certifications are processed.
Edwards said market forces are the principal driver of valuation increases; he estimated a market‑driven rise of about 3% across the sample and described how sales ratios and mass appraisal techniques inform certified values.
Commissioners asked how the R&R affects the city mill levy; staff said the commission can choose a mill lower than the R&R when building the budget. Lesker encouraged precision in the city’s budget assumptions so the mill can be set as close to the final figure as possible.
The presentation included a breakdown of real estate and personal property valuations and an explanation of the R&R formula used to stabilize taxable revenue relative to valuation changes. The discussion will inform upcoming budget work sessions and mill‑levy decisions.
