Johnson County Chairman Mike Kelly appeared on KSHB 41 recently to promote the county’s expanded property tax relief program, describing it as a “major step toward easing the burden on homeowners.” The message was upbeat, confident and carefully framed: Help is coming, the county is listening, and more residents will benefit.
But the numbers tell a very different story — one that Kelly’s interview didn’t fully acknowledge.
The relief program, now in its third year, has been limited to older adults, disabled veterans and owners of homes valued under $384,600. In 2025, the county distributed “more than $150,000” in total relief to “several hundred” residents. Next year, Kelly says the county will double that amount to “more than $300,000.”…