Monday Memo: Facts Matter, Statutes Matter, and True Leadership Requires Competency

Happy Monday, Platte County.

When you are running to be your next County Clerk, you aren't just running to manage an office—you are asking voters to trust you with the precise, legal execution of county administrative law. In local government, accuracy is everything. When candidates don't understand the law, they spread bad information, create unnecessary panic, and do a profound disservice to the taxpayers they are trying to represent.

Recently, a public Facebook post from one of my primary opponents caught my attention. In it, it was stated that the Missouri State Tax Commission (STC) “brought forth an order to increase values by at least 15%” for 2027. I believe my opponent “shared” or copied and pasted another post stating these inaccurate facts.

The post is fundamentally and profoundly incorrect.

Spreading a rumor that the state is ordering a massive, mandatory 15% minimum hike on your property values in 2027 is fearmongering. Yes, many of us—including myself—received notice that our real property valuations would likely exceed 15% in the 2027 reassessment cycle. But as an engineer, my career has been built on looking at hard data, checking the source, and following the precise schematics. Let's look at the actual law and set the record straight for Platte County taxpayers.

Fact-Checking the "15%" Rumor: What the Law Actually Says

The State Tax Commission (STC) has not ordered a blanket 15% increase for 2027 assessments, nor is there any state mandate or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) requiring our County Assessor to hike values by that specific percentage.

So, where is this confusion coming from? My opponent has fundamentally misunderstood a statutory cap and mistaken it for a mandatory floor.

• It’s a Cap, Not a Target: Under Missouri Revised Statutes Section 137.115.10, the number 15% is actually a legal ceiling designed to protect you. By state law, a local assessor cannot increase a residential property’s assessment by more than 15% in a two-year cycle unless they conduct a physical, exterior inspection of the property. If they fail to inspect it, your increase is capped at 15% as a matter of law.
• The Neighboring Context: This issue has been all over the news because the STC recently cracked down on neighboring Jackson County after their messy 2023 reassessments. The STC stepped in and officially ordered Jackson County to retroactively cap their non-inspected assessment increases at 15% and issue tax credits. They did so by RSMo 138.390.
• The Senior Freeze Safeguard: Remember also, if you qualify, have applied, and received the Senior Tax Credit, your assessments are “frozen” for each subsequent tax year. While your property assessment will be recorded as adjusted in the Assessor’s files, your actual taxes should NOT increase!

The State Tax Commission isn’t mandating a rate hike for 2027 as it did in the 2025 MOU directed at what I am fairly certain was 88 Missouri counties. Platte County did not sue the STC as several other counties did; instead, due to clerical mishandling at the time, we were forced to negotiate the increase down to a 6.835% compromise.

In my next Wisdom Wednesday post, I will elaborate on how the STC bases its authority to issue those MOUs and mandate true market value assessment ranges. I will also address whether our local taxing districts must roll back tax levies when assessments increase.

Why This Points to a Fundamental Lack of Qualification

Understanding these distinctions isn't just semantics; it goes directly to a candidate's qualifications to hold the office of County Clerk.

The Clerk serves as the secretary to the Board of Equalization (BOE)—the very board where citizens go to appeal their property assessments. If a candidate running for Clerk does not even understand the basic state statutes governing property assessments, how can they be trusted to precisely oversee the administrative process of your tax appeals?

We cannot fix the courthouse with leadership that operates on rumors instead of reading the actual statutes. When leadership lacks a grasp of the facts and the law, it leads to the exact kind of administrative confusion, hidden calendars, and manufactured red tape we are trying to clear out.

Real Leadership Based on Precision, Not Panic

True compassion for taxpayers isn't measured by how much panic a candidate can generate; it’s measured by the competency, precision, and level-headed discipline they bring to the office. A leader, not a follower.

Platte County taxpayers deserve a Clerk who acts as a true Taxpayer Advocate—someone who knows the laws inside and out, stands as a wall against administrative bloat, and ensures the system operates with absolute transparency and legal accuracy.

I promise to continuously educate myself on the statutes and laws, research how I can protect the taxpayers, and actively advocate to change the laws and statutes that I find unfair or that hinder our community.

Let's stop the misinformation, clear out the insider loops, and bring common-sense engineering precision back to our local government.

Let's keep the conversation focused on facts and real solutions.

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