BOE hearing officers released, Jackson County homeowners describe mess for appeals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Jackson County homeowners appealing their new property values have a new wrinkle: there are fewer Board of Equalization Appeals hearing officers.

KCTV5 Investigates has learned that 11 were let go this week because funding ran out.

“Due to the Legislature’s failure to allocate the necessary funding to retain and continue paying hearing officers, the county had no alternative but to release them from their positions,” said public information officer Marshanna Smith.

At least one legislator frames the current mess as self-inflected by the county.

“If the assessment was done fairly to begin with, we wouldn’t need contracted staff, overtime and an attorney to fight against taxpayers just trying to get a fair assessed value,” said legislator Manny Abarca. “The executive, his staff and appointees are trying to blame everyone else for their own failures and this legislature isn’t gonna continue to fund failures in leadership.”

ALSO READ: Jackson County homeowners: inspectors wasted time, made appeals confusing by design

KCTV5 has heard directly from homeowners now trying to navigate appeals amid a staffing shortage.

David Renfert emailed about the scramble wondering when his case would be heard.

“I came for my hearing and the staff reported that the BOE hearing officers announced, out of the blue, they are not fulfilling their scheduled hearing duties. They are AWOL — with no info as to what is next,” said Renfert.

Renfert is like many homeowners who question large increases based on what appears to be little information.

He pointed out the county has an incorrect number of bathrooms listed for his property. His property value increased 25%. The property across the street increased 16%. And somehow, for whatever reason, another home dropped in value by $56,000.

Renfert is in good company. More than 55,000 appeals have been filed in Jackson County.

A state audit is underway and numerous lawsuits have been filed.

ALSO READ: Legislators questioning Jackson County Assessment errors

For more Jackson County assessment stories, click here.

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