How a Jackson County ballot question could assist elderly but raise property taxes
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. (KCTV) - There’s one decision in Jackson County this election cycle that’ll impact senior citizens in the community.
Your vote could decide if millions of dollars go to charities and social work organizations to them by establishing a “senior levy fund.” It would mean higher property taxes, which some caught up with spikes in their property assessments say is the last thing they need right now.
Everyone has seen property taxes in Jackson County turn into a mess, but advocates for the elderly say the county will be in a bigger mess if we don’t invest now to keep senior citizens in their homes.
Still, Glen and Dottie Williams have sticker shock right now after they got their 2023 assessment and learned how much more they’ll have to pay.
“Between $6,500 and $8,000,” Dottie complained.
Jackson County raised the property value 40% on the home they live in, and over 90% on two others they own. They fear new taxes will price them out before any services could reach people like them or other seniors.
“If the seniors are going to lose their homes because they can’t afford the new tax rate the county assessed, what good are the senior services going to do?” Glen said. “Are they going to refurbish them with tents?”
“We’re out of money, there’s no more to give,” his wife added.
Rachel Ohlhausen with Jewish Family Services says non-profits like them have a money problem too and assures this new tax on the ballot won’t be so hefty.
“It’s about the cost of a large specialty pizza. $20-$30 a year,” Ohlhausen explained. “Not a month, a year, will create infrastructure for generations to come.”
Data from RedFin shows the average home value in Jackson County comes out to $275,500. Since homes are assessed at 19% of the full value, the annual tax fee homeowners at that rate would pay is $26.17. Something ers of question one say is cheaper than footing the bill to put all the elderly in assisted living centers.
The question states that an extra five cents for every $100 in assessed property value would be added to pay for this fund. Generating $7-9 million a year in grants for groups like Jewish Family Services to receive those in grants to ensure services they provide the elderly like meals on wheels, home repairs, utility , and transportation remain free, stable, and grow At a time when they’ve been forced to cut back their work.
“We had to cut the amount of transportation our older adults were receiving from four round trips to three per month,” Ohlhausen said.
Under a senior services fund, Jackson County would appoint an independent citizen’s board to oversee the funds and determine who qualifies for grants and how much. It would operate separately from the county government.
Without a senior services fund, people like 80-year-old Judy Haines say her life would be a mess finding a way to pick up groceries and make home repairs on her own.
“The population is getting older and there’s more of us and that’s why they ran out of money last year and why we have less money this year,” Haines, a beneficiary of Jewish Family Services, said.
Fifty-five counties in Missouri have already launched similar senior services funds. Including Platte, Clay, and Ray County.
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