Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,
The Neighborhood Revitalization Program exists to encourage investment, growth, and longterm stability in communities that need it most. In rural Kansas, where many counties face population decline, the program is essential. It gives people a reason to invest in properties, improve neighborhoods, and commit to the future of our small towns.
The program provides a percentage-based tax rebate on the additional property tax generated by qualified improvements. Both commercial and residential property owners may apply. In the first year, participants receive a 100% rebate on the increased tax attributable to the improvement, decreasing by 10% annually over ten years. This structure is meant to encourage upfront investment, and ease the owner into an increased property tax obligation.
While authorized by state law, the program is locally administered. County Commissioners have significant discretion to implement it in a way that serves their communities, ideally with practical safeguards like notice before removal, an opportunity to cure minor issues, and reasonable accommodations such as late fees.
In Rooks County, however, participants are being removed from the program without notice for minor and often unrelated issues, such as a $20 antique vehicle tag, a minimal trailer tax, or paying any of their property taxes only days late. These are not the kinds of situations that should justify removal from a long-term investment incentive. We, like many others, have spent years putting our own time and money into multiple properties in Downtown Plainville. These investments reflect a real commitment to this community. In our case alone, a combined 15 years of promised tax incentives were taken away in the last year without notice. It is difficult not to feel those efforts are being undervalued.
We are also seeing the broader impact of rising property taxes. People are leaving, and potential buyers are choosing not to invest here. That should concern all of us.
The Kansas Legislature has recognized rising property taxes are an issue, and has taken steps to address them. This year, House Bill 2043 would have limited annual spending increases by city and county governments to just 3%. In that context, it makes little sense to remove tax rebates from those actively improving and expanding the local tax base.
When a 10-year program can be terminated without notice over minor issues, it creates uncertainty for participants and discourages future investment. Many entered the program in good faith, taking on real financial risk with the expectation of a 10-year benefit. Removing that benefit after the investment is made, without notice, undermines the program entirely.
Other counties send a written notice, an opportunity to cure, and some even assess a late fee to remain in the program they don’t take back a full 10-year benefit for minor issues. If Rooks County wants to encourage investment, these programs must be administered fairly and consistently. The county should welcome increased property values and a growing tax base, not discourage the very people making those improvements possible.
There is still time to get this right.
We urge the county commissioners to reconsider their current approach, allow those removed without notice an opportunity to be reinstated, and adopt clear notice and cure provisions going forward. Doing so would restore confidence and signal that Rooks County remains committed to growth and investment.
This is an opportunity to strengthen, not weaken, the future of Rooks County.
Sincerely,
Adam & Ashley Comeau
Plainville
