BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

Republicans in the Missouri Senate are finally getting along. But disagreements with Democrats over abortion and paid sick leave — along with the House GOP over last week’s budget moves — could upend the legislative session

Will the Missouri Senate actually make it to 6 p.m. Friday?&nbsp;

That’s the constitutional deadline for the legislative session to adjourn for the year. And the Senate — thanks to Republican infighting — has failed to reach the finish line&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/05/17/a-bizarre-session-missouri-lawmakers-head-home-after-year-defined-by-gridlock-infighting/">three years in a row</a>.&nbsp;

But this year the GOP supermajority is finally getting along. And as lawmakers enter the final week of the 2025 legislative session, Senate Republicans hope that unity will allow them to roll back abortion rights and a new paid sick leave law over the vehement resistance of Democrats.&nbsp;

Whether or not the session goes off the rails again this year — and kills a litany of largely bipartisan bills in the process — will largely be determined by whether Republicans and Democrats can strike a deal on two issues that touch on key ideological differences. .

“My philosophy has always been, if you just sit down together, you can figure it out,” said Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican. “So that’s what I’m doing. I have a really good relationship with the Democrats, and everyone is negotiating in good faith.”

If those negotiations fall apart, the GOP could turn to the nuclear option.&nbsp;

Republicans hold 24 seats in the 34-member Senate. It takes only a simple majority of 18 votes to end a filibuster using a procedural maneuver known as “calling the previous question,” or PQ.&nbsp;

But Senate leaders have historically been hesitant to utilize the PQ because it generates lasting bitterness — and sparks retaliation. If past is prologue, Democrats would respond by turning to procedural maneuvers of their own to grind the chamber to a halt and make any progress all but impossible.&nbsp;&nbsp;

That scenario would also kill any bills still pending in the Senate with the bad blood and gridlock generated possibly spilling into the next legislative session.&nbsp;

That’s why since 1970, the Senate has only used PQ 18 times. The last time was in 2020.&nbsp;

“The last thing either side wants is a PQ,” said Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, an Affton Democrat.&nbsp;

In November, both issues at the heart of the Senate’s final week won approval on the statewide ballot.&nbsp;

Proposition A, which won 58% of the vote, mandated employers with business receipts greater than $500,000 a year to provide at least one hour of paid leave for every 30 hours worked. Employers with fewer than 15 workers must allow workers to earn at least 40 hours per year, with larger employers mandated to allow at least 56 hours.

Amendment 3, which won with 52% of the vote, legalized abortion up until the point of fetal viability — generally seen as the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb on its own, or around 24 weeks. It also protects access to other reproductive health care, like birth control.

Since it passed, a judge blocked a litany of Missouri abortion regulations, opening the door for access to the procedure for the first time in years.&nbsp;

Senate negotiations on both issues have persisted for weeks. And despite some public discord, both sides enter the waning days before adjournment confident a deal can be reached.&nbsp;

“I know that there’s a lot of ideology going around and lots of things being thrown at each other, but actually the vast majority of people are somewhere in the middle,” O’Laughlin said. “And if you listen to everyone in their perspective, you can figure it out.”

While the possibility of a PQ is the biggest minefield lawmakers are trying to navigate in the final week, disharmony between the House and Senate could also prove explosive.&nbsp;

On Friday, lawmakers completed work on the state’s $53 billion budget. But in a stunning move, the House&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/09/missouri-house-republicans-surprise-senate-by-killing-500-million-construction-bill/">refused to allow a vote on a $530 million construction package</a>&nbsp;approved by the Senate earlier in the day.&nbsp;

Senate leaders were not told of the House’s decision in advance, and the move sparked outrage and accusations of betrayal.&nbsp;

“The phone calls I’ve been receiving from my Senate counterparts do not lead me to believe that next week is going to be productive if you have a House bill in the Senate,” Senate Appropriations Chairman Lincoln Hough, a Springfield Republican, told the&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/kacen.bsky.social/post/3lormd75ss22y" target="_blank">Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;soon after the House vote on Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Lee’s Summit Republican, downplayed the possibility of the move causing friction between the two chambers in the final week, telling reporters that he doesn’t expect the Senate to upend a session that has been marked by GOP unity.&nbsp;

“I have nothing but great things to say about how the Senate has been working this year,” he said. “I think they’ll continue to work like that.”

His Democratic colleagues aren’t convinced Patterson’s prediction will prove accurate.&nbsp;

House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, said she would not be surprised to see “an even greater battle emerge between the chambers in the last few days of session over this particular situation.”

Another possible stumbling block: with only five days left before adjournment, the governor’s office and House leaders are&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/09/missouri-lawmakers-eye-late-push-to-move-kansas-city-royals-to-clay-county/">pondering a push to provide $300 million in state funding</a>&nbsp;to help build a new baseball stadium in Clay County.&nbsp;

The aim is to keep the Kansas City Royals from moving across the state line, where Kansas lawmakers created an incentive packaging to convince the team to leave Missouri when the lease on its current stadium expires in 2030.&nbsp;

But the plan has never been presented as a formal bill and never had a public hearing or debate — a reality that could cause real problems in the Senate, where any resistance could prove fatal.&nbsp;&nbsp;

State Sen. Joe Nicola, an Independence Republican whose district includes the Royal’s current stadium in Jackson County, said he would have serious concerns about any plan that would move the team to another county.&nbsp;

But Nicola hasn’t been consulted on the stadium funding plan percolating in the House, so he didn’t want to comment until he had a chance to study it closely.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746181702741.png" alt="-Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin, a Republican Shelbina, talks&nbsp; with reporters May 2024 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption>-Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin, a Republican Shelbina, talks&nbsp; with reporters May 2024 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>Republicans in the Missouri Senate are finally getting along. But disagreements with Democrats over abortion and paid sick leave — along with the House GOP over last week’s budget moves — could upend the legislative session</h2>Will the Missouri Senate actually make it to 6 p.m. Friday?&nbsp;That’s the constitutional deadline for the legislative session to adjourn for the year. And the Senate — thanks to Republican infighting — has failed to reach the finish line&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/05/17/a-bizarre-session-missouri-lawmakers-head-home-after-year-defined-by-gridlock-infighting/">three years in a row</a>.&nbsp;But this year the GOP supermajority is finally getting along. And as lawmakers enter the final week of the 2025 legislative session, Senate Republicans hope that unity will allow them to roll back abortion rights and a new paid sick leave law over the vehement resistance of Democrats.&nbsp;Whether or not the session goes off the rails again this year — and kills a litany of largely bipartisan bills in the process — will largely be determined by whether Republicans and Democrats can strike a deal on two issues that touch on key ideological differences. .“My philosophy has always been, if you just sit down together, you can figure it out,” said Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican. “So that’s what I’m doing. I have a really good relationship with the Democrats, and everyone is negotiating in good faith.”If those negotiations fall apart, the GOP could turn to the nuclear option.&nbsp;Republicans hold 24 seats in the 34-member Senate. It takes only a simple majority of 18 votes to end a filibuster using a procedural maneuver known as “calling the previous question,” or PQ.&nbsp;But Senate leaders have historically been hesitant to utilize the PQ because it generates lasting bitterness — and sparks retaliation. If past is prologue, Democrats would respond by turning to procedural maneuvers of their own to grind the chamber to a halt and make any progress all but impossible.&nbsp;&nbsp;That scenario would also kill any bills still pending in the Senate with the bad blood and gridlock generated possibly spilling into the next legislative session.&nbsp;That’s why since 1970, the Senate has only used PQ 18 times. The last time was in 2020.&nbsp;“The last thing either side wants is a PQ,” said Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, an Affton Democrat.&nbsp;In November, both issues at the heart of the Senate’s final week won approval on the statewide ballot.&nbsp;Proposition A, which won 58% of the vote, mandated employers with business receipts greater than $500,000 a year to provide at least one hour of paid leave for every 30 hours worked. Employers with fewer than 15 workers must allow workers to earn at least 40 hours per year, with larger employers mandated to allow at least 56 hours.That law went into effect May 1.&nbsp;Amendment 3, which won with 52% of the vote, legalized abortion up until the point of fetal viability — generally seen as the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb on its own, or around 24 weeks. It also protects access to other reproductive health care, like birth control.Since it passed, a judge blocked a litany of Missouri abortion regulations, opening the door for access to the procedure for the first time in years.&nbsp;Senate negotiations on both issues have persisted for weeks. And despite some public discord, both sides enter the waning days before adjournment confident a deal can be reached.&nbsp;“I know that there’s a lot of ideology going around and lots of things being thrown at each other, but actually the vast majority of people are somewhere in the middle,” O’Laughlin said. “And if you listen to everyone in their perspective, you can figure it out.”While the possibility of a PQ is the biggest minefield lawmakers are trying to navigate in the final week, disharmony between the House and Senate could also prove explosive.&nbsp;On Friday, lawmakers completed work on the state’s $53 billion budget. But in a stunning move, the House&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/09/missouri-house-republicans-surprise-senate-by-killing-500-million-construction-bill/">refused to allow a vote on a $530 million construction package</a>&nbsp;approved by the Senate earlier in the day.&nbsp;Senate leaders were not told of the House’s decision in advance, and the move sparked outrage and accusations of betrayal.&nbsp;“The phone calls I’ve been receiving from my Senate counterparts do not lead me to believe that next week is going to be productive if you have a House bill in the Senate,” Senate Appropriations Chairman Lincoln Hough, a Springfield Republican, told the&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/kacen.bsky.social/post/3lormd75ss22y" target="_blank">Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;soon after the House vote on Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Lee’s Summit Republican, downplayed the possibility of the move causing friction between the two chambers in the final week, telling reporters that he doesn’t expect the Senate to upend a session that has been marked by GOP unity.&nbsp;“I have nothing but great things to say about how the Senate has been working this year,” he said. “I think they’ll continue to work like that.”His Democratic colleagues aren’t convinced Patterson’s prediction will prove accurate.&nbsp;House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, said she would not be surprised to see “an even greater battle emerge between the chambers in the last few days of session over this particular situation.”Another possible stumbling block: with only five days left before adjournment, the governor’s office and House leaders are&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/09/missouri-lawmakers-eye-late-push-to-move-kansas-city-royals-to-clay-county/">pondering a push to provide $300 million in state funding</a>&nbsp;to help build a new baseball stadium in Clay County.&nbsp;The aim is to keep the Kansas City Royals from moving across the state line, where Kansas lawmakers created an incentive packaging to convince the team to leave Missouri when the lease on its current stadium expires in 2030.&nbsp;But the plan has never been presented as a formal bill and never had a public hearing or debate — a reality that could cause real problems in the Senate, where any resistance could prove fatal.&nbsp;&nbsp;State Sen. Joe Nicola, an Independence Republican whose district includes the Royal’s current stadium in Jackson County, said he would have serious concerns about any plan that would move the team to another county.&nbsp;But Nicola hasn’t been consulted on the stadium funding plan percolating in the House, so he didn’t want to comment until he had a chance to study it closely.&nbsp;

Abortion ban, repeal of paid sick leave top agenda for Missouri legislature’s final week

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement continue their investigation of a car crash into a business in Topeka.

Just before 3p.m. May 9, policeresponded to reports of a passenger car that crashed into the front of the Wheel Barrel, 925 N. Kansas Avenue in Topeka, according to Topeka Police LT Kerry Connell.

American Medical Response transported one person to a local area hospital for minor injuries. One person was treated for minor injuries on scene and released.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747015477418.png" alt="photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement continue their investigation of a car crash into a business in Topeka.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fthewheelbarrel%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0u9hT6fYwrHBLBjs7rU6V6Fi3dAr5bXwuCFR29m2JTfeNqfd95Qy74T14q9tfhd5zl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="690" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Just before 3p.m. May 9, policeresponded to reports of a passenger car that crashed into the front of the Wheel Barrel, 925 N. Kansas Avenue in Topeka, according to Topeka Police LT Kerry Connell.American Medical Response transported one person to a local area hospital for minor injuries. One person was treated for minor injuries on scene and released.&nbsp;&nbsp;

One person hospitalized after crash into Kansas restaurant

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement continue to investigating several suspect in connection with multiple alleged crimes in the Kansas City Westport entertainment district.

On Friday night, officers were attempting to arrest an ATV driver who was breaking the law when a suspect(s) in a vehicle pointed a weapon at them, according to a statement from Kansas City Police. These suspects tried to flee, but could not. Officers arrested all four people in the vehicle, including juveniles.

Police recovered three guns. Felony charges are pending.

The officers involved were added to the KCPD Entertainment District Plan, which the department activated&nbsp; earlier than previous years. Extra officers will continue to be present in that district.

In total, Friday night into Saturday, KCPD arrested six criminals, towed two vehicles, seized five firearms, issued nine citations, issued four summons, and seized drugs.

According to Mayor Quinton Lucas, the KCPD&nbsp;Entertainment District Plan is bringing enforcement and consequences, including felony charges and seized vehicles, drugs and firearms, to those causing harm in the core of the city. An earlier launch than usual ensuring all know more arrests and seizures are coming

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746914941139.jpeg" alt="Photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement continue to investigating several suspect in connection with multiple alleged crimes in the Kansas City Westport entertainment district.On Friday night, officers were attempting to arrest an ATV driver who was breaking the law when a suspect(s) in a vehicle pointed a weapon at them, according to a statement from Kansas City Police. These suspects tried to flee, but could not. Officers arrested all four people in the vehicle, including juveniles.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746915042607.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Police recovered three guns. Felony charges are pending.The officers involved were added to the KCPD Entertainment District Plan, which the department activated&nbsp; earlier than previous years. Extra officers will continue to be present in that district.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746915068272.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In total, Friday night into Saturday, KCPD arrested six criminals, towed two vehicles, seized five firearms, issued nine citations, issued four summons, and seized drugs.According to Mayor Quinton Lucas, the KCPD&nbsp;Entertainment District Plan is bringing enforcement and consequences, including felony charges and seized vehicles, drugs and firearms, to those causing harm in the core of the city. An earlier launch than usual ensuring all know more arrests and seizures are coming

Police make multiple arrests in KC entertainment district

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just after 8p.m. Saturday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 9300 block of Cleveland on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

As officers arrived they were directed to an apartment building.&nbsp; There they located a man suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers began performing lifesaving measures until KCFD EMS arrived. Medics took over and transported the victim to a local hospital where he died a short time later. 

This is being investigated as a homicide and no one is in custody at this point. Preliminary information revealed an argument occurred in the parking lot that led to shots being fired and the victim being struck. Police released no additional details.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri.Just after 8p.m. Saturday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 9300 block of Cleveland on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.As officers arrived they were directed to an apartment building.&nbsp; There they located a man suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers began performing lifesaving measures until KCFD EMS arrived. Medics took over and transported the victim to a local hospital where he died a short time later. This is being investigated as a homicide and no one is in custody at this point. Preliminary information revealed an argument occurred in the parking lot that led to shots being fired and the victim being struck. Police released no additional details.

KCPD: Apartment parking lot argument led to fatal shooting

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It cannot be overstated how big of a deal this Executive Order will be for American families and especially our seniors! Healthcare costs were the number one driver of Bidenflation. President Trump is tackling them head on. <a href="https://t.co/u8Wg2vW0Ll">pic.twitter.com/u8Wg2vW0Ll</a>&mdash; Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1921711053487882665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Read Trump's historic statement on cutting prescription drugs costs

LARNED, Kansas. –&nbsp;Larned State Correctional Facility (LSCF) resident Jason W. Cott, 45, died Saturday, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

 Cott was found unresponsive in his cell Saturday night. Staff began life-saving measures immediately and continued after emergency medical services arrived and transported him to a local hospital where he later died. The cause of death is pending the results of an independent autopsy.

Cott was serving two life sentences without the possibility of parole for two convictions of first degree murder in Johnson County, Kansas.

Per protocol, when a resident dies in the custody of the KDOC, the death is under investigation by the KDOC and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The investigation is ongoing.

The Larned State Correctional Facility serves only adult males and consists of a 310-capacity medium-security unit and a 304-capacity minimum-security unit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746983582900.png" alt="Cott photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Cott photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>LARNED, Kansas. –&nbsp;Larned State Correctional Facility (LSCF) resident Jason W. Cott, 45, died Saturday, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. Cott was found unresponsive in his cell Saturday night. Staff began life-saving measures immediately and continued after emergency medical services arrived and transported him to a local hospital where he later died. The cause of death is pending the results of an independent autopsy.Cott was serving two life sentences without the possibility of parole for two convictions of first degree murder in Johnson County, Kansas.Per protocol, when a resident dies in the custody of the KDOC, the death is under investigation by the KDOC and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The investigation is ongoing.The Larned State Correctional Facility serves only adult males and consists of a 310-capacity medium-security unit and a 304-capacity minimum-security unit.

Kan. inmate serving time for murder found dead in his cell

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/khardy/">Kevin Hardy</a>

Fearing a financial ‘death spiral,’ transit providers say they need more support.

Compared with major American cities, the ridership on public buses in Minot, North Dakota, can seem relatively minuscule.

But the 82,000 rides taken each year allow people without cars to get to work, help those with disabilities get around and connect patients with crucial health care.

“The value of those rides is unmeasurable, because the people that are using our system need our system,” said Brian Horinka, the city’s transit superintendent.

Like in many cities — from sprawling metropolitan areas to smaller and rural communities — the financial future of public transit is questionable in Minot, population 48,000. While increasing, ridership remains below pre-pandemic levels. Federal funding and state budgets remain uncertain, while inflation is pinching transit services.

For example, Horinka said he’s looking to buy a new 30-foot heavy-duty bus. He expects it will cost up to $700,000 because of inflation. Just five years ago, a similar model could be had for about $400,000, he said.

“We’re in dire straits, from a financial standpoint,” he said.

North Dakota’s four largest cities, including Minot, asked lawmakers for millions in extra grant dollars this year to keep transit buses rolling. The state&nbsp;<a href="https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/documents/25-1109-05000.pdf" target="_blank">enacted a new law</a>&nbsp;awarding $2 million in grants — a welcome reprieve, but far less than the $15 million initially requested.

Republican state Rep. Dan Ruby, a sponsor of the legislation, said cities will likely need to increase local funding for bus systems.

“I don’t think it’s enough,” he said. “I think it is going to just be somewhat of a stopgap for some of them to be able to function.”

The law also calls for a study to develop a proposed funding formula for fixed-route bus systems. Ruby said he would prefer a permanent funding model that doesn’t require cities to continually rely on legislative grants.

“We also want to make sure that they’re not sitting on funds or running inefficiently just because they have the funding,” he said. “That’s the key to get support from most of the legislators, to show that they really do have a need and there’s no way to find any more cuts in their operations without affecting the people that need the rides.”

It’s indicative of discussions occurring in state capitals across the country as public transit faces existential funding challenges.

Public transit systems in major cities including Chicago, Dallas and San Francisco face the potential of deep service cuts without more funding. But the problems also extend to smaller systems that connect people in rural America and smaller cities.

In Pennsylvania, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro said the transit financial crisis affects residents in all 67 of the commonwealth’s counties.

“Let me just say, we face a dire situation for mass transit agencies all across Pennsylvania, from Pittsburgh to Philly and rural communities in between,”&nbsp;<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/government-politics/shapiro-says-pa-mass-transit-agencies-face-dire-situation-and-criticizes-trump-tariffs/" target="_blank">Shapiro said at a news conference in April.</a>

Transit funding has been stuck in a partisan battle in Harrisburg.

In November, to stave off cuts, Shapiro&nbsp;<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/transportation-infrastructure/shapiro-directs-153m-in-federal-highway-funds-to-stop-septa-death-spiral/" target="_blank">ordered the transfer of more than $150 million</a>&nbsp;in federal highway funds to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, known as SEPTA, which serves the greater Philadelphia area with bus and regional rail lines. He’s also backed legislation to increase transit funding, which has found support in the Democratic-controlled state House but so far has not advanced in the GOP-controlled state Senate.

Late last month, House Republican Leader Jesse Topper proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reptopper.com/News/36086/Press-Releases/Amid-Chronic-Budget-Issues--Topper-to-Introduce-Legislation-to-Privatize-Part-of-SEPTA-s-Operations" target="_blank">partially privatizing the Philadelphia-area transit agency&nbsp;</a>rather than increasing funding, which he said in a statement would “only serve to patch over the problems of a system chronically in crisis.”

“The same old, same old is clearly not working,” he said, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wesa.fm/politics-government/2025-05-01/transit-agencies-prt-septa-privatize-topper" target="_blank">a report by public radio station WESA.</a>

The transit agency has said it already operates one of the most efficient systems in the nation. On&nbsp;<a href="https://wwww.septa.org/fundingcrisis/" target="_blank">a special website&nbsp;</a>it created to call attention to its $213 million budget deficit, SEPTA said there’s “nothing left to cut from the budget but service.”

The authority has said it may be forced to cut services by 45% and raise fares by 20% without help from the state.

Democratic state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who represents a portion of North Philadelphia, said that would be “catastrophic” for the region.

“It makes this not only a less appealing place to live for people who are considering moving here,” he said, “but it also makes it difficult to live for folks who call this area home.”

Kenyatta, who dismissed the idea of privatization, said the state has a moral and economic obligation to ensure sustainable funding for public transportation.

“We’ve done patches here and there,” he said. “And that patchwork approach is not one that inspires the type of confidence and allows our transit agencies to do the type of long-term planning that they need to do.”

Mass transit saw some of the most immediate impacts of COVID-19 as people worked from home and avoided public spaces.

The federal government provided nearly $70 billion in pandemic aid to transit programs, which saw revenues drop sharply because of reduced fare collections.

But with the rise of remote and hybrid work, ridership remains below pre-pandemic levels even as costs for labor and equipment skyrocket. A recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-04-29/us-mass-transit-funding-crisis-threatens-commuters-travel?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc0NjE0OTczMiwiZXhwIjoxNzQ2NzU0NTMyLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJTVkhaT0FUMEcxS1cwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiI4QUQ0NTg2QkE2MTk0RkRGOEQyMkU3RDM5NzUyOUNCOCJ9.w3o4OPJC1dN3Bg7rJfaraes4Xb63p43Kk7j3XZrJ6VY&amp;leadSource=uverify%20wall" target="_blank">Bloomberg News analysis</a>&nbsp;estimates the nation’s largest transit systems are facing a $6 billion shortfall — only heightening fears of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/11/15/1212879398/public-transit-ridership-down-covid-pandemic-death-spiral" target="_blank">so-called death spiral</a>&nbsp;in which a combination of service cuts and fare increases cause further erosion of riders and revenue.

In Oregon, Democratic lawmakers have proposed increasing the state’s dedicated transit payroll tax. Billed as “a starting point,” the plan would increase the tax from 0.1% to 0.18% — estimated to raise $269 million over each two-year budget cycle.

“That’s appreciated, but it’s nowhere near what it needs to be,” said Brian Vitulli, general manager of the Tillamook County Transportation District in western Oregon. “There could be some service reductions in the near future if we don’t get more funding.”

Aside from rising costs, Vitulli faces major hiring challenges: The district has 19 drivers but could use eight to 10 more. With too few drivers, bus service has been cut to six days a week.

For some riders, the transit services provide a lifeline. After last year’s closure of Tillamook’s only dialysis center, for example, the agency began offering rides to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.northcoastcitizen.com/news/tctd-steps-up-for-dialysis-patients/article_6fbac02e-766f-5c3e-a86b-ed9293b8d6be.html" target="_blank">other dialysis clinics well outside its service area.</a>

That has driven up costs and tied up drivers, making services such as the on-demand Dial-A-Ride less available for other residents.

“We’re kind of the only option for these dialysis patients,” he said. “And we’re kind of prioritizing those trips rather than somebody who just wants to go to the Elks Club for lunch or something.”

Vitulli also serves on the board of the Oregon Transit Association, which is lobbying instead for&nbsp;<a href="https://oregontransit.com/news/13489020" target="_blank">a 0.4% increase in the transit payroll tax phased in over eight years</a>. The association said the current 0.08% proposal could force transit providers across the state to cut services by as much as 25% in the next few years as inflation and decreased fare collections push many into deficits.

TriMet, which operates rail, bus and paratransit services across 533 square miles of the Portland region,&nbsp;<a href="https://news.trimet.org/2025/04/trimet-warns-of-cuts-to-transit-service-without-an-increase-in-transit-funding-in-2025-oregon-transportation-package/" target="_blank">said it would still need to cut services</a>&nbsp;even if the lawmakers’ proposed 0.08% funding increase were approved. The agency faces a deficit of nearly $75 million for the upcoming fiscal year.

Oregon lawmakers are broadly concerned about federal spending cuts, which could turn the state’s modest budget surplus into a gaping deficit,<a href="https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/03/19/oregon-lawmakers-share-38-billion-budget-framework-amid-federal-uncertainty/" target="_blank">&nbsp;the Oregon Capital Chronicle reported.&nbsp;</a>Nearly a third of the state’s budget comes from federal money.

Democratic state Rep. Susan McLain said budget uncertainty has heightened scrutiny of all state spending this session. She is one of the authors of&nbsp;<a href="https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/04/03/oregon-democrats-unveil-1-9-billion-transportation-funding-plan/" target="_blank">the state’s transportation proposal</a>, crafted after nearly two years of meetings across the state. Aside from increasing the transit payroll tax, it calls for boosting the gas tax and hiking vehicle registration costs to help pay for road improvements.

McLain, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation, said budget negotiations are ongoing, with aims of having hearings later this month.

While the state wants to do more to ensure everyone can access medical care, schools and jobs, McLain noted that belt-tightening is imperative for all manner of agencies, including transit.

“We’re really trying to dig in and find ways to do more with less,” she said, “but also to make sure that we’ve got sufficient, adequate types of investment in areas that we value.”

Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:khardy@stateline.org">khardy@stateline.org</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746784865461.png" alt=" Driver Jeremy Bellante assists Martin Boge into a Tillamook County Transportation District van before an out-of-town trip last month to dialysis treatment. The western Oregon transit service is warning of potential service cuts if the state does not provide more funding. (Courtesy of Tillamook County Transportation District)" />
 <figcaption> Driver Jeremy Bellante assists Martin Boge into a Tillamook County Transportation District van before an out-of-town trip last month to dialysis treatment. The western Oregon transit service is warning of potential service cuts if the state does not provide more funding. (Courtesy of Tillamook County Transportation District)</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/khardy/">Kevin Hardy</a><h2>Fearing a financial ‘death spiral,’ transit providers say they need more support.</h2>Compared with major American cities, the ridership on public buses in Minot, North Dakota, can seem relatively minuscule.But the 82,000 rides taken each year allow people without cars to get to work, help those with disabilities get around and connect patients with crucial health care.“The value of those rides is unmeasurable, because the people that are using our system need our system,” said Brian Horinka, the city’s transit superintendent.Like in many cities — from sprawling metropolitan areas to smaller and rural communities — the financial future of public transit is questionable in Minot, population 48,000. While increasing, ridership remains below pre-pandemic levels. Federal funding and state budgets remain uncertain, while inflation is pinching transit services.For example, Horinka said he’s looking to buy a new 30-foot heavy-duty bus. He expects it will cost up to $700,000 because of inflation. Just five years ago, a similar model could be had for about $400,000, he said.“We’re in dire straits, from a financial standpoint,” he said.North Dakota’s four largest cities, including Minot, asked lawmakers for millions in extra grant dollars this year to keep transit buses rolling. The state&nbsp;<a href="https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/documents/25-1109-05000.pdf" target="_blank">enacted a new law</a>&nbsp;awarding $2 million in grants — a welcome reprieve, but far less than the $15 million initially requested.Republican state Rep. Dan Ruby, a sponsor of the legislation, said cities will likely need to increase local funding for bus systems.“I don’t think it’s enough,” he said. “I think it is going to just be somewhat of a stopgap for some of them to be able to function.”The law also calls for a study to develop a proposed funding formula for fixed-route bus systems. Ruby said he would prefer a permanent funding model that doesn’t require cities to continually rely on legislative grants.“We also want to make sure that they’re not sitting on funds or running inefficiently just because they have the funding,” he said. “That’s the key to get support from most of the legislators, to show that they really do have a need and there’s no way to find any more cuts in their operations without affecting the people that need the rides.”It’s indicative of discussions occurring in state capitals across the country as public transit faces existential funding challenges.Public transit systems in major cities including Chicago, Dallas and San Francisco face the potential of deep service cuts without more funding. But the problems also extend to smaller systems that connect people in rural America and smaller cities.<h2>Partisan debates over transit funding</h2>In Pennsylvania, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro said the transit financial crisis affects residents in all 67 of the commonwealth’s counties.“Let me just say, we face a dire situation for mass transit agencies all across Pennsylvania, from Pittsburgh to Philly and rural communities in between,”&nbsp;<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/government-politics/shapiro-says-pa-mass-transit-agencies-face-dire-situation-and-criticizes-trump-tariffs/" target="_blank">Shapiro said at a news conference in April.</a>Transit funding has been stuck in a partisan battle in Harrisburg.In November, to stave off cuts, Shapiro&nbsp;<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/transportation-infrastructure/shapiro-directs-153m-in-federal-highway-funds-to-stop-septa-death-spiral/" target="_blank">ordered the transfer of more than $150 million</a>&nbsp;in federal highway funds to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, known as SEPTA, which serves the greater Philadelphia area with bus and regional rail lines. He’s also backed legislation to increase transit funding, which has found support in the Democratic-controlled state House but so far has not advanced in the GOP-controlled state Senate.Late last month, House Republican Leader Jesse Topper proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reptopper.com/News/36086/Press-Releases/Amid-Chronic-Budget-Issues--Topper-to-Introduce-Legislation-to-Privatize-Part-of-SEPTA-s-Operations" target="_blank">partially privatizing the Philadelphia-area transit agency&nbsp;</a>rather than increasing funding, which he said in a statement would “only serve to patch over the problems of a system chronically in crisis.”“The same old, same old is clearly not working,” he said, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wesa.fm/politics-government/2025-05-01/transit-agencies-prt-septa-privatize-topper" target="_blank">a report by public radio station WESA.</a>The transit agency has said it already operates one of the most efficient systems in the nation. On&nbsp;<a href="https://wwww.septa.org/fundingcrisis/" target="_blank">a special website&nbsp;</a>it created to call attention to its $213 million budget deficit, SEPTA said there’s “nothing left to cut from the budget but service.”The authority has said it may be forced to cut services by 45% and raise fares by 20% without help from the state.Democratic state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who represents a portion of North Philadelphia, said that would be “catastrophic” for the region.“It makes this not only a less appealing place to live for people who are considering moving here,” he said, “but it also makes it difficult to live for folks who call this area home.”Kenyatta, who dismissed the idea of privatization, said the state has a moral and economic obligation to ensure sustainable funding for public transportation.“We’ve done patches here and there,” he said. “And that patchwork approach is not one that inspires the type of confidence and allows our transit agencies to do the type of long-term planning that they need to do.”<h2>Transit’s pandemic ‘death spiral’</h2>Mass transit saw some of the most immediate impacts of COVID-19 as people worked from home and avoided public spaces.The federal government provided nearly $70 billion in pandemic aid to transit programs, which saw revenues drop sharply because of reduced fare collections.But with the rise of remote and hybrid work, ridership remains below pre-pandemic levels even as costs for labor and equipment skyrocket. A recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-04-29/us-mass-transit-funding-crisis-threatens-commuters-travel?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc0NjE0OTczMiwiZXhwIjoxNzQ2NzU0NTMyLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJTVkhaT0FUMEcxS1cwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiI4QUQ0NTg2QkE2MTk0RkRGOEQyMkU3RDM5NzUyOUNCOCJ9.w3o4OPJC1dN3Bg7rJfaraes4Xb63p43Kk7j3XZrJ6VY&amp;leadSource=uverify%20wall" target="_blank">Bloomberg News analysis</a>&nbsp;estimates the nation’s largest transit systems are facing a $6 billion shortfall — only heightening fears of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/11/15/1212879398/public-transit-ridership-down-covid-pandemic-death-spiral" target="_blank">so-called death spiral</a>&nbsp;in which a combination of service cuts and fare increases cause further erosion of riders and revenue.In Oregon, Democratic lawmakers have proposed increasing the state’s dedicated transit payroll tax. Billed as “a starting point,” the plan would increase the tax from 0.1% to 0.18% — estimated to raise $269 million over each two-year budget cycle.“That’s appreciated, but it’s nowhere near what it needs to be,” said Brian Vitulli, general manager of the Tillamook County Transportation District in western Oregon. “There could be some service reductions in the near future if we don’t get more funding.”Aside from rising costs, Vitulli faces major hiring challenges: The district has 19 drivers but could use eight to 10 more. With too few drivers, bus service has been cut to six days a week.For some riders, the transit services provide a lifeline. After last year’s closure of Tillamook’s only dialysis center, for example, the agency began offering rides to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.northcoastcitizen.com/news/tctd-steps-up-for-dialysis-patients/article_6fbac02e-766f-5c3e-a86b-ed9293b8d6be.html" target="_blank">other dialysis clinics well outside its service area.</a>That has driven up costs and tied up drivers, making services such as the on-demand Dial-A-Ride less available for other residents.“We’re kind of the only option for these dialysis patients,” he said. “And we’re kind of prioritizing those trips rather than somebody who just wants to go to the Elks Club for lunch or something.”Vitulli also serves on the board of the Oregon Transit Association, which is lobbying instead for&nbsp;<a href="https://oregontransit.com/news/13489020" target="_blank">a 0.4% increase in the transit payroll tax phased in over eight years</a>. The association said the current 0.08% proposal could force transit providers across the state to cut services by as much as 25% in the next few years as inflation and decreased fare collections push many into deficits.TriMet, which operates rail, bus and paratransit services across 533 square miles of the Portland region,&nbsp;<a href="https://news.trimet.org/2025/04/trimet-warns-of-cuts-to-transit-service-without-an-increase-in-transit-funding-in-2025-oregon-transportation-package/" target="_blank">said it would still need to cut services</a>&nbsp;even if the lawmakers’ proposed 0.08% funding increase were approved. The agency faces a deficit of nearly $75 million for the upcoming fiscal year.Oregon lawmakers are broadly concerned about federal spending cuts, which could turn the state’s modest budget surplus into a gaping deficit,<a href="https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/03/19/oregon-lawmakers-share-38-billion-budget-framework-amid-federal-uncertainty/" target="_blank">&nbsp;the Oregon Capital Chronicle reported.&nbsp;</a>Nearly a third of the state’s budget comes from federal money.Democratic state Rep. Susan McLain said budget uncertainty has heightened scrutiny of all state spending this session. She is one of the authors of&nbsp;<a href="https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/04/03/oregon-democrats-unveil-1-9-billion-transportation-funding-plan/" target="_blank">the state’s transportation proposal</a>, crafted after nearly two years of meetings across the state. Aside from increasing the transit payroll tax, it calls for boosting the gas tax and hiking vehicle registration costs to help pay for road improvements.McLain, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation, said budget negotiations are ongoing, with aims of having hearings later this month.While the state wants to do more to ensure everyone can access medical care, schools and jobs, McLain noted that belt-tightening is imperative for all manner of agencies, including transit.“We’re really trying to dig in and find ways to do more with less,” she said, “but also to make sure that we’ve got sufficient, adequate types of investment in areas that we value.”Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:khardy@stateline.org">khardy@stateline.org</a>.&nbsp;

Deep cuts to bus and rail services loom across big cities, small towns

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The COVID-19 pandemic, staff turnover and surges in filings created a backlog of cases at the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals, challenging the organization’s ability to meet statutory requirements for timely rulings.

County appraisers have seen increased delays in resolving some tax appeals, and although they don’t blame BOTA employees who are working to clear delays, they are concerned about the effects on taxpayers.

“Given that high property taxes are a major concern for Kansans, this remains a highly sensitive matter for all parties involved,” said Douglas County appraiser Brad Eldridge. “Providing timely due process in property tax cases is essential, yet it requires additional funding, creating the difficult reality that ensuring fairness and efficiency comes at the cost of more taxpayer dollars.”

In January 2025 budget testimony to the Legislature, BOTA chair Kristen Wheeler said in Fiscal Year 2024, the board saw an increase of about 700 cases in its Regular Division, as well as an additional 300 cases in its exemption tax appeals and 300 cases in its property tax appeals.

The BOTA comprises the Regular Division, in which cases are heard by an appointed, three-member board, and the Small Claims and Expedited Claims Division, which offers informal, faster processes.

More than 11 different kinds of tax appeals are heard by BOTA’s board or staff, from property tax exemption requests to homeowners upset about their property taxes and unable to resolve the issue at the county level.

Jonathan Roberts, BOTA executive director, said they receive as many as 50 or 60 requests for tax exemption appeals every day.

“It takes at the minimum a half-hour to hear each of those requests,” he said. “When you start to compound those, it creates a monumental task to get through every one. It’s just a matter of the requests coming in exceed the time available to hear them.”

During the legislative budget process, the state board requested and received $30,000 to hire contract employees to help get caught up. BOTA also asked for $25,000 to increase attorney salaries because they currently are below what their peers receive for similar work. A long-term vacant position contributed to delays.

“The Board is currently recruiting to fill a vacant staff attorney position; the Board would note that position has been posted since the fall and to date, despite active advertising, the Board has yet to have a single applicant,” the budget request said. “The Board notes the starting salary for that position is below other starting-level attorney positions advertised for other state entities.”

Roberts said a new information technology system being installed is expected to help with processing.&nbsp;

“We’re engaging in some things within the office to help with workflow and things like that, but given the sheer number of some of the cases that we have in front of us, it’s not going to clear them all up right away,” Roberts said.

Depending on the cases, the board faces statutory requirements regarding the time to hear and decide cases. In small claims, cases must be heard within 60 days of filing and decided within 30 days after that. So far, BOTA staff have been able to meet that deadline, Roberts said. In the Regular Division, the board must render a decision after a hearing within 14 days, although requirements vary depending on the case.

In testimony, BOTA reported the percent of 14-day summary decisions issued timely in the Regular Division, with a goal of 100%. After three years of missing that goal, the organization is moving back on track.

In FY2019 and FY2020, BOTA issued decisions within 14 days 100% of the time. In FY2021, they dropped to 93%, and in subsequent years 91%, 90% and 99%. BOTA reports 100% for FY2025 so far.

Lucky DeFries, a Topeka tax attorney who has been trying cases in front of the board since the late 1970s, said his clients haven’t faced significant delays. He and opposing counsel often reach agreement in the case, so it moves through the system quickly.

DeFries remembers when there were 58 employees at BOTA. Today, there are 16 when they’re fully staffed, he said, noting the retirement of a longtime attorney and another staff member on medical leave.

“We’ve seen across the country steady increases in the valuation of residential property. That’s where a lot of the appeals come from,” DeFries said. “The numbers of employees have gone down precipitously and the case load has either increased or stayed pretty static.”

The delay in hearing tax appeals affects county operations statewide. Eldridge said the slow process consumes time and financial resources. The challenges began during the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

“Schedule delays were a result of hearing cancellations in 2020,” Eldridge said. “In 2020-2021, there was turnover in BOTA positions, and they went several months without having a full board to hold hearings. BOTA essentially did not hold any Regular Division hearings for about one year.”

If BOTA finds in favor of the individual, organization or business in a tax appeal, the county must refund any taxes that were paid, based on that appeal. Eldridge said interest is paid on refunds, with the percentage varying depending on the year the appeal was filed.

In Crawford County, Jan Meredith, office supervisor, handles tax exemptions. Like Eldridge, she understands the issues that have been delaying tax appeals and is sympathetic. Still, she doesn’t recall delays as long as they have been in the past two to three years.

Tax appeals filed in 2023 have recently come through the system and been cleared, she said, and that puts her small county near to caught up. Meredith tells taxpayers filing an appeal that it likely will take four to six months until they receive decisions from BOTA, so any appeals filed in the past six months she doesn’t consider delayed.

Larger counties tend to see a more significant impact. In its budget report, BOTA said most of its small claims appeals in FY2024 were received from Johnson County (576), Morris County (345), Sedgwick County (448) and Wyandotte County (608).&nbsp;

“Douglas County has matters before the Regular Division of BOTA going back to 2021 that are scheduled to be heard this year,” Eldridge said.

In Johnson County, spokeswoman Anne Christiansen-Bullers said appeals go back more than seven years.&nbsp;

“The Kansas Board of Tax Appeals has approximately 1,500-1,600 pending appeals involving property in Johnson County for tax years 2018-2024,” she said.

It’s difficult to determine exactly how far behind tax appeals are, said Terri Yamashita, BOTA board secretary. More complex cases, which are often appeals over large tax amounts owed or commercial cases, sometimes have multiple attorneys involved and many filings.

For instance, in the regular hearing division where cases go before the BOTA, commercial business owners often want to get their own appraisals done, she said. That can cause delays. BOTA staff normally try to schedule a hearing within at least five months of the filing, but it could be seven to eight months, depending on the case.

Some cases lingering in the system are delayed because parties don’t get the proper information submitted or for reasons out of BOTA’s control, Yamashita said. Each type of tax appeal has different statutory requirements to meet.

The number of appeals asking for tax exemptions is one of the more challenging areas, although those don’t have to go to a full board hearing, she said. Exemptions and the majority of tax grievances don’t go to full hearings but are managed in the small claims division.

Grievances include cases that are about clerical errors or penalties that have been assessed on someone who didn’t file taxes on time, she said.

Those issues absorb staff time. BOTA recently contracted with an additional staff person to help clear exemption cases. In testimony, the BOTA board said that its hearings of Regular Division cases suffer when they receive influxes of small claims cases because staff attorneys shift to do that work.

“Not only do these staff attorneys have less time and resources available to work on other matters, but they are unavailable or difficult to schedule to assist with Regular Division hearings,” the testimony said. “Undoubtedly these factors all contribute to greater than necessary resolution times for matters in the Regular Division.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746737689897.png" alt="Kristen Wheeler, chairwoman of the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals, tells the Kansas House General Government Budget Committee about the need for additional funding to manage increased tax appeals and to alleviate staff shortages. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature video)" />
 <figcaption>Kristen Wheeler, chairwoman of the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals, tells the Kansas House General Government Budget Committee about the need for additional funding to manage increased tax appeals and to alleviate staff shortages. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature video)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The COVID-19 pandemic, staff turnover and surges in filings created a backlog of cases at the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals, challenging the organization’s ability to meet statutory requirements for timely rulings.County appraisers have seen increased delays in resolving some tax appeals, and although they don’t blame BOTA employees who are working to clear delays, they are concerned about the effects on taxpayers.“Given that high property taxes are a major concern for Kansans, this remains a highly sensitive matter for all parties involved,” said Douglas County appraiser Brad Eldridge. “Providing timely due process in property tax cases is essential, yet it requires additional funding, creating the difficult reality that ensuring fairness and efficiency comes at the cost of more taxpayer dollars.”In January 2025 budget testimony to the Legislature, BOTA chair Kristen Wheeler said in Fiscal Year 2024, the board saw an increase of about 700 cases in its Regular Division, as well as an additional 300 cases in its exemption tax appeals and 300 cases in its property tax appeals.The BOTA comprises the Regular Division, in which cases are heard by an appointed, three-member board, and the Small Claims and Expedited Claims Division, which offers informal, faster processes.More than 11 different kinds of tax appeals are heard by BOTA’s board or staff, from property tax exemption requests to homeowners upset about their property taxes and unable to resolve the issue at the county level.Jonathan Roberts, BOTA executive director, said they receive as many as 50 or 60 requests for tax exemption appeals every day.“It takes at the minimum a half-hour to hear each of those requests,” he said. “When you start to compound those, it creates a monumental task to get through every one. It’s just a matter of the requests coming in exceed the time available to hear them.”<h2>Adding resources</h2>During the legislative budget process, the state board requested and received $30,000 to hire contract employees to help get caught up. BOTA also asked for $25,000 to increase attorney salaries because they currently are below what their peers receive for similar work. A long-term vacant position contributed to delays.“The Board is currently recruiting to fill a vacant staff attorney position; the Board would note that position has been posted since the fall and to date, despite active advertising, the Board has yet to have a single applicant,” the budget request said. “The Board notes the starting salary for that position is below other starting-level attorney positions advertised for other state entities.”Roberts said a new information technology system being installed is expected to help with processing.&nbsp;“We’re engaging in some things within the office to help with workflow and things like that, but given the sheer number of some of the cases that we have in front of us, it’s not going to clear them all up right away,” Roberts said.Depending on the cases, the board faces statutory requirements regarding the time to hear and decide cases. In small claims, cases must be heard within 60 days of filing and decided within 30 days after that. So far, BOTA staff have been able to meet that deadline, Roberts said. In the Regular Division, the board must render a decision after a hearing within 14 days, although requirements vary depending on the case.In testimony, BOTA reported the percent of 14-day summary decisions issued timely in the Regular Division, with a goal of 100%. After three years of missing that goal, the organization is moving back on track.In FY2019 and FY2020, BOTA issued decisions within 14 days 100% of the time. In FY2021, they dropped to 93%, and in subsequent years 91%, 90% and 99%. BOTA reports 100% for FY2025 so far.Lucky DeFries, a Topeka tax attorney who has been trying cases in front of the board since the late 1970s, said his clients haven’t faced significant delays. He and opposing counsel often reach agreement in the case, so it moves through the system quickly.DeFries remembers when there were 58 employees at BOTA. Today, there are 16 when they’re fully staffed, he said, noting the retirement of a longtime attorney and another staff member on medical leave.“We’ve seen across the country steady increases in the valuation of residential property. That’s where a lot of the appeals come from,” DeFries said. “The numbers of employees have gone down precipitously and the case load has either increased or stayed pretty static.”<h2>County impact</h2>The delay in hearing tax appeals affects county operations statewide. Eldridge said the slow process consumes time and financial resources. The challenges began during the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;“Schedule delays were a result of hearing cancellations in 2020,” Eldridge said. “In 2020-2021, there was turnover in BOTA positions, and they went several months without having a full board to hold hearings. BOTA essentially did not hold any Regular Division hearings for about one year.”If BOTA finds in favor of the individual, organization or business in a tax appeal, the county must refund any taxes that were paid, based on that appeal. Eldridge said interest is paid on refunds, with the percentage varying depending on the year the appeal was filed.In Crawford County, Jan Meredith, office supervisor, handles tax exemptions. Like Eldridge, she understands the issues that have been delaying tax appeals and is sympathetic. Still, she doesn’t recall delays as long as they have been in the past two to three years.Tax appeals filed in 2023 have recently come through the system and been cleared, she said, and that puts her small county near to caught up. Meredith tells taxpayers filing an appeal that it likely will take four to six months until they receive decisions from BOTA, so any appeals filed in the past six months she doesn’t consider delayed.Larger counties tend to see a more significant impact. In its budget report, BOTA said most of its small claims appeals in FY2024 were received from Johnson County (576), Morris County (345), Sedgwick County (448) and Wyandotte County (608).&nbsp;“Douglas County has matters before the Regular Division of BOTA going back to 2021 that are scheduled to be heard this year,” Eldridge said.In Johnson County, spokeswoman Anne Christiansen-Bullers said appeals go back more than seven years.&nbsp;“The Kansas Board of Tax Appeals has approximately 1,500-1,600 pending appeals involving property in Johnson County for tax years 2018-2024,” she said.<h2>Tough to determine</h2>It’s difficult to determine exactly how far behind tax appeals are, said Terri Yamashita, BOTA board secretary. More complex cases, which are often appeals over large tax amounts owed or commercial cases, sometimes have multiple attorneys involved and many filings.For instance, in the regular hearing division where cases go before the BOTA, commercial business owners often want to get their own appraisals done, she said. That can cause delays. BOTA staff normally try to schedule a hearing within at least five months of the filing, but it could be seven to eight months, depending on the case.Some cases lingering in the system are delayed because parties don’t get the proper information submitted or for reasons out of BOTA’s control, Yamashita said. Each type of tax appeal has different statutory requirements to meet.The number of appeals asking for tax exemptions is one of the more challenging areas, although those don’t have to go to a full board hearing, she said. Exemptions and the majority of tax grievances don’t go to full hearings but are managed in the small claims division.Grievances include cases that are about clerical errors or penalties that have been assessed on someone who didn’t file taxes on time, she said.Those issues absorb staff time. BOTA recently contracted with an additional staff person to help clear exemption cases. In testimony, the BOTA board said that its hearings of Regular Division cases suffer when they receive influxes of small claims cases because staff attorneys shift to do that work.“Not only do these staff attorneys have less time and resources available to work on other matters, but they are unavailable or difficult to schedule to assist with Regular Division hearings,” the testimony said. “Undoubtedly these factors all contribute to greater than necessary resolution times for matters in the Regular Division.”

Kansas tax appeal process bogged down by staff shortages, increased filings

KANSAS CITY—Police are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.

Just after 2p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 8400 block of East 63rd street on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino. As officers arrived they were directed to the parking lot of a convenience store. There they located a victim suffering from gun shot wounds. Officers immediately began performing life saving measures and ordered EMS to the scene. Medics transported the victim to a local hospital where he died a short time later.

This is being investigated as a homicide. There is no one in custody at this point. Preliminary investigation revealed there was an altercation in the parking lot that led to shots being fired and the victim being struck. Police released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746924246378.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Police are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.Just after 2p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 8400 block of East 63rd street on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino. As officers arrived they were directed to the parking lot of a convenience store. There they located a victim suffering from gun shot wounds. Officers immediately began performing life saving measures and ordered EMS to the scene. Medics transported the victim to a local hospital where he died a short time later.This is being investigated as a homicide. There is no one in custody at this point. Preliminary investigation revealed there was an altercation in the parking lot that led to shots being fired and the victim being struck. Police released no additional details.

Homicide: Man shot in parking lot of KC convenience store

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple sex crime allegations.

On Wednesday, the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division served two search warrants in response to a report that had been filed regarding sex crimes against a minor, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Search warrants were served in the 6700 Block of SW Windwood Lane and the 8100 Block of Meadow Lane in Mayetta, Kansas. Deputies arrested 53-year-old Anthony S. Whayne Jr. of Mayetta and booked him into the Shawnee County Dept. of Corrections on requested charges of rape, abuse of a child, aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated indecent liberties with a child and aggravated indecent solicitation of a child.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746709972604.png" alt="Whayne photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Whayne photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple sex crime allegations.On Wednesday, the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division served two search warrants in response to a report that had been filed regarding sex crimes against a minor, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.Search warrants were served in the 6700 Block of SW Windwood Lane and the 8100 Block of Meadow Lane in Mayetta, Kansas. Deputies arrested 53-year-old Anthony S. Whayne Jr. of Mayetta and booked him into the Shawnee County Dept. of Corrections on requested charges of rape, abuse of a child, aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated indecent liberties with a child and aggravated indecent solicitation of a child.

Kansas man jailed for alleged violent child sex crimes

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging five former U.S. Postal Service employees with stealing mail, according to the United State's Attorney.

The defendants all charged with one count of conspiracy to steal mail and one count of theft of mail are: Terrence Luster, 49, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri;&nbsp; Laura Dantzler, 64, of Kansas City, Kansas; Arthur Hook, 49, of Lathrop, Missouri; Craig Roland, 54, of Kansas City, Kansas, and Cheryl Wankum, 60, of Overland Park, Kansas.

The defendants, who were employees at a post office on North 51st Street, are accused of stealing Amazon return packages, mail, and other items of value for their own personal use between early 2023 and mid-October 2023.

The U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) is investigating the case.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging five former U.S. Postal Service employees with stealing mail, according to the United State's Attorney.The defendants all charged with one count of conspiracy to steal mail and one count of theft of mail are: Terrence Luster, 49, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri;&nbsp; Laura Dantzler, 64, of Kansas City, Kansas; Arthur Hook, 49, of Lathrop, Missouri; Craig Roland, 54, of Kansas City, Kansas, and Cheryl Wankum, 60, of Overland Park, Kansas.The defendants, who were employees at a post office on North 51st Street, are accused of stealing Amazon return packages, mail, and other items of value for their own personal use between early 2023 and mid-October 2023.The U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) is investigating the case.

Indictment: Kan. postal service employees stole Amazon return packages

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a reported&nbsp; bomb threat in Topeka.

Just after 2:30 p.m. Saturday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call from an individual reporting that he had left an explosive device inside the Walmart, 1501 SW Wanamaker,&nbsp;according to Topeka Police LT Kerry Connell.

The business was evacuated, and members from the Topeka Police Department’s Bomb Unit and K9 Unit, along with the Shawnee County Sheriff's K9 Unit responded to the scene.

Just after 4p.m. Saturday police reported the store was safe and investigators found&nbsp;no devices. The Walmart is open and has resumed normal operations.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746912432395.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a reported&nbsp; bomb threat in Topeka.Just after 2:30 p.m. Saturday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call from an individual reporting that he had left an explosive device inside the Walmart, 1501 SW Wanamaker,&nbsp;according to Topeka Police LT Kerry Connell.The business was evacuated, and members from the Topeka Police Department’s Bomb Unit and K9 Unit, along with the Shawnee County Sheriff's K9 Unit responded to the scene.Just after 4p.m. Saturday police reported the store was safe and investigators found&nbsp;no devices. The Walmart is open and has resumed normal operations.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

Police evacuate store after bomb threat in Topeka

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 10:30p.m. Friday in Kansas City.

A bicycle was&nbsp; northbound on Flora Avenue and failed to stop for the posted stop sign at 31st Street, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

The blue Schwinn entered the intersection. An eastbound white Honda Civic struck the bicycle. EMS transported he bicyclist to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and was pronounced deceased by hospital staff shortly after arrival. 

The driver of the Honda stopped immediately, cooperated with the investigation and was not injured in the collision. This is fatality #23 compared to #39 at this time last year in Kansas City, Missouri, according to DiMartino.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the bicyclisst.

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 10:30p.m. Friday in Kansas City.A bicycle was&nbsp; northbound on Flora Avenue and failed to stop for the posted stop sign at 31st Street, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.The blue Schwinn entered the intersection. An eastbound white Honda Civic struck the bicycle. EMS transported he bicyclist to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and was pronounced deceased by hospital staff shortly after arrival. The driver of the Honda stopped immediately, cooperated with the investigation and was not injured in the collision. This is fatality #23 compared to #39 at this time last year in Kansas City, Missouri, according to DiMartino.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the bicyclisst.

Police: Bicyclist struck and killed at Kansas City intersection

With only a week to go before the legislature adjourns for the year, Missouri lawmakers are considering a last-minute push for a $300 million incentive package aimed at building a new stadium for the Kansas City Royals in Clay County.&nbsp;

The tentative plan, which according to those involved has the blessing of the governor’s office, would commit the state to $15 million a year to a newly created Clay County sports authority for the next 20 years. That money would be used to help finance a new stadium in order to prevent the team from moving to Kansas.&nbsp;

It’s unclear if the legislative package will include money to help the Kansas City Chiefs remodel Arrowhead Stadium in Jackson County.&nbsp;

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office did not respond to requests for comment.&nbsp;

Legislation sponsored by state Sen. Kurtis Gregory, a Republican from Marshall, would be the vehicle for the funding. The underlying bill, which passed the Senate and could be taken up as early as Monday in the House, would authorize Clay County to establish a county sports complex authority for the purpose of “developing or maintaining sports, convention, exhibition or trade facilities.”

Any stadium funding plans would be added to the bill as an amendment in the House, said state Rep. Brad Christ, a St. Louis County Republican handling the legislation in that chamber.&nbsp;

Christ said his involvement with the stadium funding is “very minimal,” and he has not been kept in the loop on any details of the proposal.&nbsp;

All signs point toward Clay County as the preferred location for the new stadium, Gregory said, with the idea that moving the Royals would also clear the way for the Chiefs to remain in Arrowhead, demolish Kauffman Stadium and build a covered entertainment center.

“It’s not ‘downtown,’ but Clay County works a lot better,” Gregory said of a possible North Kansas City site. “There can be better parking. You’ll have the Kansas City skyline just two miles away. They could run the streetcar out to it. It just works.”

Some sort of local support would likely still be needed, Gregory said. But he’s optimistic that can get done, because “when I was knocking doors in Clay, the most frequent question I got was ‘what are we going to do about the Chiefs and the Royals.’”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Both teams have publicly expressed interest in moving from Missouri to Kansas after Jackson County voters rejected a proposal last year to extend a 3/8-cent sales tax to help finance a downtown Kansas City baseball stadium and upgrades to Arrowhead.&nbsp;

Kansas lawmakers responded by expanding a tax incentive program in the hopes of convincing one or both teams to relocate. The leases for both teams’ Jackson County stadiums run through the end of the 2030 season.&nbsp;

Regardless of the details of any potential plan, the idea faces incredibly long odds with so little time left in the session. The House and Senate must adjourn for the year at 6 p.m. next Friday.

The tight timeline is especially problematic in the Missouri Senate, where any opposition could turn into a run-out-the-clock filibuster.

State Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Kansas City Democrat who co-sponsored the Clay County sports authority bill with Gregory, said she’s not been involved in recent discussions and had doubts there was time to still get something done so late in the session.&nbsp;

Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican, said there have been ongoing talks all year about the idea of trying to keep the Royals in Missouri. But she has not been directly involved in formal discussions of a new plan this week, she said.

And taking a stadium funding plan from start to finish in less than a week, O’Laughlin said, will be incredibly tough.&nbsp;

“That would be pretty quick,” she said with a laugh.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746820944287.png" alt=" North Kansas City has also proposed as a location for a new Royals ballpark with surrounding development (photo submitted)." />
 <figcaption> North Kansas City has also proposed as a location for a new Royals ballpark with surrounding development (photo submitted).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>With only a week to go before the legislature adjourns for the year, Missouri lawmakers are considering a last-minute push for a $300 million incentive package aimed at building a new stadium for the Kansas City Royals in Clay County.&nbsp;The tentative plan, which according to those involved has the blessing of the governor’s office, would commit the state to $15 million a year to a newly created Clay County sports authority for the next 20 years. That money would be used to help finance a new stadium in order to prevent the team from moving to Kansas.&nbsp;It’s unclear if the legislative package will include money to help the Kansas City Chiefs remodel Arrowhead Stadium in Jackson County.&nbsp;Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office did not respond to requests for comment.&nbsp;Legislation sponsored by state Sen. Kurtis Gregory, a Republican from Marshall, would be the vehicle for the funding. The underlying bill, which passed the Senate and could be taken up as early as Monday in the House, would authorize Clay County to establish a county sports complex authority for the purpose of “developing or maintaining sports, convention, exhibition or trade facilities.”Any stadium funding plans would be added to the bill as an amendment in the House, said state Rep. Brad Christ, a St. Louis County Republican handling the legislation in that chamber.&nbsp;Christ said his involvement with the stadium funding is “very minimal,” and he has not been kept in the loop on any details of the proposal.&nbsp;All signs point toward Clay County as the preferred location for the new stadium, Gregory said, with the idea that moving the Royals would also clear the way for the Chiefs to remain in Arrowhead, demolish Kauffman Stadium and build a covered entertainment center.“It’s not ‘downtown,’ but Clay County works a lot better,” Gregory said of a possible North Kansas City site. “There can be better parking. You’ll have the Kansas City skyline just two miles away. They could run the streetcar out to it. It just works.”Some sort of local support would likely still be needed, Gregory said. But he’s optimistic that can get done, because “when I was knocking doors in Clay, the most frequent question I got was ‘what are we going to do about the Chiefs and the Royals.’”&nbsp;&nbsp;Both teams have publicly expressed interest in moving from Missouri to Kansas after Jackson County voters rejected a proposal last year to extend a 3/8-cent sales tax to help finance a downtown Kansas City baseball stadium and upgrades to Arrowhead.&nbsp;Kansas lawmakers responded by expanding a tax incentive program in the hopes of convincing one or both teams to relocate. The leases for both teams’ Jackson County stadiums run through the end of the 2030 season.&nbsp;Regardless of the details of any potential plan, the idea faces incredibly long odds with so little time left in the session. The House and Senate must adjourn for the year at 6 p.m. next Friday.The tight timeline is especially problematic in the Missouri Senate, where any opposition could turn into a run-out-the-clock filibuster.State Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Kansas City Democrat who co-sponsored the Clay County sports authority bill with Gregory, said she’s not been involved in recent discussions and had doubts there was time to still get something done so late in the session.&nbsp;Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican, said there have been ongoing talks all year about the idea of trying to keep the Royals in Missouri. But she has not been directly involved in formal discussions of a new plan this week, she said.And taking a stadium funding plan from start to finish in less than a week, O’Laughlin said, will be incredibly tough.&nbsp;“That would be pretty quick,” she said with a laugh.

Missouri lawmakers eye late push to move Kansas City Royals to Clay County

Coming Soon: Some of our patrol vehicles will now feature ‘ghost graphics’ – low-visibility markings that blend during the day but reflect at night, the Missouri State Highway Patrol shared on social media.&nbsp; "These stealth vehicles help us monitor aggressive &amp; dangerous driving more effectively. Drive safe – even when you think no one’s watching."

Coming Soon: Some of our patrol vehicles will now feature ‘ghost graphics’ – low-visibility markings that blend during the day but reflect at night, the Missouri State Highway Patrol shared on social media.&nbsp; "These stealth vehicles help us monitor aggressive &amp; dangerous driving more effectively. Drive safe – even when you think no one’s watching."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Coming Soon: Some of our patrol vehicles will now feature ‘ghost graphics’ – low-visibility markings that blend during the day but reflect at night. These stealth vehicles help us monitor aggressive &amp; dangerous driving more effectively. Drive safe – even when you think no one’s… <a href="https://t.co/3sCCtoql7W">pic.twitter.com/3sCCtoql7W</a>&mdash; MSHP General HQ (@MSHPTrooperGHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSHPTrooperGHQ/status/1920920443793666177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Coming soon: ‘Ghost graphics’ for MSHP Patrol vehicles

JOHNSON COUNTY —The Olathe Police Department is currently investigating a fatality crash involving a pedestrian and a pickup truck that occurred just after 9p.m. Thursday.

Officers were dispatched to the area of Santa Fe and Blake following reports of a crash involving a pickup truck and a pedestrian. When officers arrived, they located an unresponsive woman later identified as 57-year-old Jill E. Turner of Indiana.

&nbsp; Officers, along with Olathe Fire and Med-Act personnel, performed life-saving measures at the scene. Turner was later pronounced deceased.&nbsp;

Officers are in contact with the driver of the pickup truck, and they are cooperating in the investigation

JOHNSON COUNTY —The Olathe Police Department is currently investigating a fatality crash involving a pedestrian and a pickup truck that occurred just after 9p.m. Thursday.Officers were dispatched to the area of Santa Fe and Blake following reports of a crash involving a pickup truck and a pedestrian. When officers arrived, they located an unresponsive woman later identified as 57-year-old Jill E. Turner of Indiana.&nbsp; Officers, along with Olathe Fire and Med-Act personnel, performed life-saving measures at the scene. Turner was later pronounced deceased.&nbsp;Officers are in contact with the driver of the pickup truck, and they are cooperating in the investigation