GUEST COLUMN, Shannon Francis, 125th District Representative
Our state capitol is a beautiful building outside and in. If you are ever in the Topeka area I recommend you stop by and visit it. It’s your building and we can all be proud of it. This week I had a lot of visitors from District 125 advocating their positions on bills important to members of our community. They included requests for the restoration of funding for tourism, maintaining in-state tuition for residents without lawful immigration status, and opposition for sales tax exemptions for the construction and equipping of data centers. Please, let me know of your positions on bills in the legislature. It’s important I know your thoughts. The best way to share your opinion is an email to me at
This Week, Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins established the Select Committee on Government Oversight. This select committee will monitor and ensure the proper functioning, transparency, and accountability of government agencies, programs and regulations. Using their subpoena power, committee members will investigate potential misconduct or inefficiency, holding Kansas government entities more accountable to the people. By conducting hearings and investigations, the committee will work to identify areas for improvement and recommend reforms. I was appointed as one of the 13 members of the committee and look forward to working to root out any misconduct and inefficiency in our state government.
Property tax
It’s no secret that property taxes continue to climb, burdening Kansans across our state. Most of these funds go to our local entities - cities, counties, community colleges and school districts - rather than the state. Our cities, counties and schools are dependent on these to provide the local services we depend on. This week, the House passed HB 2396 and a constitutional amendment you will have the opportunity to vote on (HCR 5011) to address excessive property tax increases.
House Bill 2396 introduces practical solutions to limit excessive increases while setting the condition for meaningful property tax relief. This bill creates a protest petition process that empowers taxpayers. If a taxing jurisdiction proposes a budget exceeding the prior year’s revenues plus the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and new construction revenue, citizens may gather signatures from 10 percent of voters from the last presidential election to cap the increase. It’s a direct tool that gives residents the opportunity to stop excessive property tax increases.
The bill also establishes The Acknowledging Stewardship of Tax Revenue and Appropriations (ASTRA) fund to incentivize cities and counties to keep budget growth at the prior year’s level plus CPI and new construction revenue. By tying state transfers to fiscal restraint, it fosters a transparent partnership between state and local governments. House Bill 2396 eliminates the revenue neutral rate requirement, which often muddies local budgeting, replacing it with a clear formula based on CPI and new construction that is backed by taxpayer oversight.
Local elected officials — city councils, county commissioners, and school boards — set most property tax rates. This bill respects their role while adding state incentives and a citizen-driven review process to ensure transparency in how tax dollars are raised and spent. The state treasurer would be responsible for distributing ASTRA funds to counties using a clear formula: 65 percent based on population and 35 percent based on equalized assessed property valuations. Protest petition forms will be available at County Treasurer offices for all taxing jurisdictions in the county.
HCR 5011 proposes limiting valuation increases in order to keep property taxes under control. HCR 5011 offers a practical state-level approach to ease the pressure on Kansas property owners.
This resolution sets valuations for residential, commercial, and industrial properties at the lesser of fair market value or a multi-year average fair market value. The legislature would determine the averaging period and adjust for new construction, use changes, omitted property, or land description updates — using a rolling average to stabilize valuations. HCR 5011 uses a rolling average to smooth out sharp spikes in property valuations. It protects homeowners and businesses from sudden jumps that inflate property tax bills, focusing on predictability while leaving tax rates untouched.
The proposal puts a constitutional amendment before Kansans in the November 2025 general election, and gives voters a direct voice in shaping how property valuations are handled statewide.
