City Sets 2025 Property Tax Levy with a Decrease from Previous Year

The Lee's Summit City Council unanimously approved the 2025 property tax levy Tuesday night, setting a rate that represents a slight decrease from the previous year.

Finance Director Brianna Berichter presented the levy calculation to the council, noting that the total assessed valuation for the city increased by 5.3% compared to 2024, reaching nearly $3.5 billion.

The approved levy rates include 0.7971 for the general fund, 0.1208 for parks and recreation, and 0.3697 for debt service. The combined rate represents a reduction of 0.110 points from the previous year.

"We are going down 0.110 of a point there in 2025," Berichter explained during her presentation.

The levy calculation is subject to the Hancock Amendment, which limits revenue growth from existing property to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or 5%, whichever is lower. For 2025, the permitted revenue growth was 2.1889%.

New construction compared to 2024 increased by 151%, while improvements to personal property decreased by 32.6%, for a combined increase of 78.8%. Commercial property values increased by 2.72%, while personal property decreased by 1.67%.

Berichter noted that the city's portion represents 17.8% of a property owner's total tax bill. For a home with the average market value of $387,000, property owners could see up to a $103 increase if their assessed value increased with the city average. However, she emphasized that the impact varies by individual property.

"If your value stayed exactly the same, it's a $0 change for you," Berichter said.

The council approved the levy as an emergency measure to meet the October 1 submission deadline required by state statute.