More than 40 thousand Shawnee County valuation notices going out on March 1 will show a decrease in property values. This has some people wondering if they'll see a change in property taxes.
It's actually a misconception to associate a change in value with a change in property taxes.
Shawnee County Appraiser Marx Hixon says property taxes are based on an equation that involves the total value of Shawnee County properties, not any individual property.
Officials planned the budget late last year, already knowing this change was ahead.
"The reductions we've made have been more administrative in the way that we operate like with our human resource consolidation, purchasing consolidation," said Stacey Woolington, Shawnee County Financial Administrator. "Those types of reductions the general public won't see. It's more within the county as we do business internally," Woolington said.
Woolington says property owners won't see a drastic change in property values.
Shawnee County's budge, divided by the total taxable value of the county, determines the mill levy.
"That mill levy is multiplied by each individual property owner's property value to determine their share of the total budget -- how much they get to contribute," said Mark Hixon, Shawnee County appraiser.
Hixon says of the 45 thousand valuation change notices going out on March 1, 90 percent of then notify owners of a decrease in value. Valuation statements reveal a list of five recently-sold properties, allowing owners to see how the value of their property compares to those of similar properties.
