Judge rules Jackson County must pay Lee’s Summit in lawsuit over 2023 property tax assessment
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Jackson County is ordered to pay the city of Lee’s Summit $259,137.08 plus interest for breach of contract in the troubled 2023 property tax assessment.
The city sued the county in 2023, claiming that Jackson County failed to do its job in property assessment, and the city lost revenue because of it.
The bench trial started in March. It was heard by Cass County Judge Derek Spencer because all Jackson County judges were recused as the case involved the county.
In testimony, city employees claimed the city lost revenue because Lee’s Summit residents were unable to pay their Jackson County property taxes at City Hall after April 2024. The city received a 1 percent fee when residents paid at City Hall.
The judge sided with Lee’s Summit on the breach of contract count, finding that the county excluded Lee’s Summit when the connection to the system the county uses was lost. The county never restored the connection.
The judge also sided with the city on the breach of implied duty of good faith and fair dealing claim.
But the judge ruled in favor of the county and said the city failed to prove that the county improperly assessed real property values or that physical inspections were not done.
In the ruling, the judge went on to say, “The City and others affected by the 2023 assessments are not without remedy, as the remedy of election of public officials is available. The appointed Jackson County Assessor serves at the pleasure of Frank White Jr., who is the elected County Executive. The Court further finds no fiduciary duty exists between the County and City.”
In a response to the ruling, the county blamed a cyberattack for the disruption in service for Lee’s Summit payment collection. The statement claimed that the county made “multiple good-faith offers to work with Lee’s Summit to address the connectivity issue and minimize any impact on residents. Unfortunately, the City declined to collaborate and instead pursued additional legal claims related to the system interruption.”
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