By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Tax season is in full swing around Kansas. Many residents are already enjoying income tax returns. They may not enjoy seeing property tax valuations in the mailbox soon. Barton County Appraiser Wendy Prosser said those valuations play a large role in the services residents expect.
"In Kansas, our property taxes are the primary source of funding for our local government services such as our public schools, our libraries, the police, EMS, fire protection, our local roads, and other public benefits," she said. "The accuracy of our appraisals is very, very important to our office."
By statute, those valuations must be mailed by March 1, and Prosser said her office is on schedule to meet that deadline. She encourages residents to open and read the figures and compare this year's number to that of years past.
"Really ask yourself: does that reflect your fair-market value or what your property could sell for?" she said. "Could I get this amount for my property? If you truly feel that does not represent your property, or if you have questions about how we got that value, we really encourage you to schedule an appeal with us."
Residents have 30 days upon receipt of their valuation to file an appeal. That can be done with a simple phone call to the appraiser's office at (620) 793-1821.