Potential property tax relief for low-income disabled veterans and senior citizens returned to the agenda Monday night during the City Commission meeting.
Budget analyst Michael Gentry presented to the commission on property tax relief programs. Similar rebates exist in Olathe, Merriam and De Soto.
Gentry said most programs require recipients to prove low-income status and housing that is owner-occupied. But other qualifiers can exist, such as age, disability status or veteran status.
Mayor Tim Reazin said he has heard a lot from senior citizens in the community about high property taxes and expressed support for focusing the rebates on them, as well as disabled veterans.
Gentry gave an example of the city using $20,000 to fund 40 rebates with a $500 cap each. Assistant City Manager Zack Daniel said the average amount paid in property taxes to the city is $1,237.
Senior citizens previously told The Eudora Times that they’re frustrated with taxes and the lack of senior housing options, leading to many moving out of the area.
City commissioners agreed Monday to direct city staff to continue looking into property tax rebates for people with low income who are disabled veterans or senior citizens ages 65 and older.
In other business, commissioners unanimously voted to schedule a February public hearing to consider the creation of a reinvestment housing incentive district for the Shadow Ridge North development.
Daniel presented to the city how housing development incentive programs work. A reinvestment housing incentive district uses the increased property taxes generated by new housing developments to reimburse developers for infrastructure costs.
“We’re kind of optimistic on some of the developments that we’ve got in the hopper for 2025,” he said
The commission also unanimously reelected Tim Reazin as mayor and Tim Bruce as vice mayor. Reazin thanked city staff for work done to remove snow after last week’s winter storms.
Commissioners received a presentation from Assistant County Administrator Jill Jolicoeur on Douglas County’s plan to end chronic homelessness by 2028.
Much of the presentation was Lawrence-focused. Jolicouer said this was because the push for the plan came from Lawrence and most of the homeless people living in Douglas County are in Lawrence.
Reazin asked about Eudora’s role in the plan.
Jolicoeur said one area that Eudora can be involved with is the supply of affordable housing.
Commissioner Alex Curnes expressed frustration over Lawrence cutting funds for utility assistance for the county.
“It’s disappointing to see that our larger neighbors have decided to maybe not help as much as they used to,” he said.
In other business, the commission went into a closed meeting for 20 minutes for a quarterly review of City Manager Kevyn Gero. The commission took no action after the session.
Reach reporter Cuyler Dunn at [email protected]
