Some Platte County residents got an unwelcome surprise in the mailbox late last week that has attracted the attention of county officials and a state senator.
Over the weekend, about a dozen property owners received revised notices of change in assessed value on their homes, which included a notice that an appeal could not be filed on or after Monday, June 17, essentially allowing property owners no recourse to protest the assessments.
Assessor David Cox told The Citizen on Monday that he had received some calls and visits regarding the situation. The notices were sent out late due to some last-minute changes, he said, and his office was working with people since this led to a “special circumstance.”
“We’re trying to be reasonable and fair with people,” Cox said.
Cox later further clarified this stance in a notice to taxpayers posted on the Platte County website, co.platte.mo.us.
“Per Missouri law, our increase notices must contain specific language regarding when an appeal to the Board of Equalization can be completed,” Cox said in the statement. “In this instance, where our notices were sent to you last week, our office has statutory discretion to extend the deadline.”
“If you wish to appeal to the Board of Equalization, we can still schedule you, to grant you an ability to appeal. However, the time at which your appeal may be heard could be in the latter part of July. Given the recent notice you received, we are extending our appeal deadline to June 30 for increase notices sent out the week of June 10.”
However, before this notice was posted, state Sen. Tony Leutkemeyer weighed in on the situation, releasing his own statement.
“I heard from multiple Platte County residents today who received notices this weekend from the Platte County Assessor’s Office of increased property tax assessments,” Leutkemeyer said. “By law, the assessor must notify a landowner of an increased assessment ‘before June 15.’ However, a landowner must appeal an assessment ‘before the third Monday in June.’ That’s today (Monday, June 17). This year that means property owners could receive notice of an increased assessment over the weekend, and not have the opportunity to challenge it before the deadline. It sounds like this may have happened to many of you. This is absurd and exactly what folks dislike about government. I intend to look into a common-sense fix to this in Jefferson City to better protect taxpayers.”
Leutkemeyer referenced RSMo. 137.385, which reads, “Any person aggrieved by the assessment of his property may appeal to the county board of equalization. An appeal shall be in writing and the forms to be used for this purpose shall be furnished by the county clerk. Such appeal shall be lodged with the county clerk as secretary of the board of equalization before the third Monday in June; provided, that the board may in its discretion extend the time for filing such appeals.”