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Real property tax exemptions cost local and state governments more than $1 billion in forgone tax revenue during 2024, a new state audit reports. Acknowledging that their conclusions should be interpreted as rough estimates because they rely on significant assumptions, state auditors reported that local government lost a $1 billion in revenue and the state didn’t collect  $12 million in property tax revenue. The auditors noted that just a  few of those exemptions are were for economic development projects. The auditors found that between 6% and 42% of Kansas counties’ real property was exempt. Eighty three of the state’s  105 counties [...]

A proposal capping property tax assessments moved out of Senate committee on Wednesday as the Legislature takes its first steps toward addressing property taxes ahead of this year’s elections. The Senate tax committee approved a constitutional amendment that would cap the taxable assessed property value at 3% with several limited exceptions, including new construction or improvements and if there is an error calculating the tax assessment. The cap would transfer if the property is sold or transferred. For tax year 2027, the final taxable assessed values hall not increase by more than 3% compared to the assessed value of the property [...]

The city’s new full-time planner will look to guide a slew of developments around town as they move from blueprints to buildings. Kyle Kobe is in his first weeks as the new city planner, but he has experience working with Eudora thanks to his time at Professional Engineering Consultants, where the city was one of his major clients. Kobe, who lives in Olathe, is originally from Edwardsville and has spent nearly his whole life in Kansas. He said growing up he often found his mind wandering to how cities were laid out and fit together, which pushed him to pursue a graduate degree [...]

In a 4-3 vote, USD 365 school board members decided Jan. 13 to close Greeley Elementary School, the Anderson County Review reported. The vote came after a Jan. 8 contentious public hearing, where board members were accused of having already made up their minds to shutter the school despite public comments to the contrary, the Review said. Board member Robert Shilling, Westphalia, said he spent time visiting with Greeley residents about the issue. Shilling said the overriding sentiment was that their opinions were not valued, the Review reported. The board’s decision sets in motion a plan outlined by Ryan Most, superintendent [...]

Allen County has launched a new emergency alert system, Genasys, replacing CodeRED with a cheaper, more customizable platform for public safety notifications. Allen County residents now receive emergency notifications through a new alert system, Genasys, following the county’s transition away from the long-used CodeRED platform. County commissioners unanimously approved the change in August 2025, with the new system officially going live Oct. 1. CodeRED remained active during the transition period and was fully discontinued on Jan. 3. The switch was made at the request of Allen County Emergency Management Director Jason Trego, who said the new system offers improved functionality at [...]

Projected increases in electricity load growth are as high as 99% by 2035, a data point that pushed regional energy regulators to create a plan to stabilize and expand grid capacity and transmission, a legislative committee learned Thursday. Part of that process includes building a controversial transmission line that will travel through four Kansas counties. Justin Grady, director of utilities for the Kansas Corporation Commission, told the House Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Committee that a proposed 133-mile, 345 kilovolt transmission line to be built by Evergy will travel through western Sedgwick, Sumner, Cowley and Chautauqua counties. The project is part of [...]

A real estate company has filed a lawsuit against the City of Lawrence challenging an ordinance that bans discrimination based on where a potential tenant’s rent payments would come from, such as housing vouchers. The case was filed in federal court Thursday by Tower Properties Company, which is based in Overland Park and owns Harper Square Apartments at 2201 Harper St. The company is asking the court for a permanent injunction to prevent the city from enforcing the ordinance. The Lawrence City Commission in February 2023 approved the ordinance change, which created a protected class based on renters’ source of income, which could [...]

Pending finalization of an employment contract, Matthew (Matt) Stiles will be joining Saline County as its new County Administrator, effective April 13. Stiles is currently City Administrator in Hillsboro, and has past experience as City Administrator in South Hutchinson, Assistant City Manager in Bel Aire, and project manager in Wichita State University’s Public Policy and Management Center. He will take over from current County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes, who is retiring. Saline County Commission Chair Monte Shadwick said they were fortunate in having an impressive and highly qualified group of applicants, each of whom brought valuable skill and insight. “ Matt, however, [...]

The new city library in Frontenac was all abuzz with activity on Wednesday as a film crew from “CBS Mornings” shot footage, interviewed patrons, and was given a walking tour by Library Director Seth Nutt. The library is to be featured during a series highlighting unique American stories. Called “USA to Z,” the series is being produced as part of the nation’s 250th birthday. But the library wasn’t just randomly picked out of a hat. Aubrey Gelpieryn, a producer for “CBS Mornings,” has familial ties to the city — her mother grew up here. And her grandmother and aunts still live [...]

The city of Newton is considering buying the historic Newton Depot for $500,000 with plans to turn the property into a redevelopment opportunity. The train depot at 414 N. Main St. sits at the entrance of downtown Newton and serves as the busiest Amtrak station in Kansas for its line that travels from Chicago to Los Angeles. Built in 1930 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the depot was most recently used for leased offices but has also housed restaurants and lodging, according to the city. Newton's City Commission approved an agreement at its Tuesday meeting for an [...]