An upcoming seminar given by Chris Courtwright, retired chief economist for the Kansas Legislature, will illuminate the inner workings of property taxes for Douglas County residents.
The talk is part of Douglas County Democrats’ Third Saturday Seminar Series. It will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 19, at Lawrence Arts Center’s 10th & Mass Studios at 1000 Massachusetts St. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. with free coffee available.
Courtwright will define mill levies and explain how property appraisals are determined while also answering attendee questions, according to a news release.
Throughout his career, Courtwright oversaw the Consensus Revenue Estimating Group and “played a major role in quantifying and analyzing multiple policy options during tax debates,” according to the news release. He also served on Gov. Laura Kelly’s Council on Tax Reform.
He is the author of “Kansas Tax Facts” and serves as an informal consultant for the state’s budget and tax policy.
The presentation comes shortly after the Lawrence and Douglas County commissions set their maximum property tax rates for 2026.
Lawrence city commissioners voted to set a maximum mill levy of 33.986 for 2026, higher than the mill recommended by city staff. It could ultimately be lower than that, but regardless of the rate, most property owners will see city tax increases because assessed valuations of properties increased about 5%.
Douglas County Commissioners separately approved a maximum mill levy of 40.669. The decreased rate is not enough to offset tax increases from assessed valuations, however, so most property owners will still see their county property taxes increase.
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