By Kathy Feist
County Executive Phil LeVota discussed a third potential Royals stadium site and a 15 percent cap on commercial properties during his first visit with south Kansas City citizens on Tuesday. In a candid, signature folksy approach about his first three months in office, LeVota covered hot county topics at the January 27th meeting of the Center Planning and Development Council meeting held at the Trailside Center.
Royal treatment
Earlier in the day, the Kansas City Royals’ announced that a Kansas stadium was officially off the table. Good news for the Jackson County executive.
“Hopefully the next thing we’re going to hear is Clay County is out,” said LeVota. “Then we’re narrowed down to Kansas City.”
There are three locations in Kansas City now under consideration for the new stadium, he said. Washington Park near Crown Center/Union Station, East Village near 71 Hwy and 12th Street, and the Historic 18th & Vine area.
The latter site, near the Negro League Baseball Museum, consists of properties owned by Ollie Gates, founder of Gates BBQ, and the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, a property that could “have federal issues” that prevent acquisition.
LeVota says the county, state and city are working together as a unified voice on a proposal. “That’s uncommon in politics,” joked LeVota.
Thanks to a legislation passed last year, 50 percent of the funding will come from the state. “We didn’t have that in 2024 when it went to vote,” he said.
As for the Chiefs’ deal with Kansas, LeVota expressed disappointment. “There is a lot of ill will on this side,” he said about the county’s reaction to the $6 billion domed stadium deal made with the Kansas governor. He said Jackson County was led to believe the Chiefs wanted a $1.6 billion renovation of Arrowhead. “It was apples to oranges,” he said.
LeVota also said he thought the Kansas deal could still fall apart.
So what’s the future for the current sports complex? LeVota says a Stadium Redevelopment Task Force is being formed to study repurposing the 220-acre sports complex located at I-70 and I-435. “It’s not going to be a blighted area,” he reassured.
Property tax clean up
“Since I took office, we’ve reversed the policy of the last administration,” said LeVota as he dove into the property tax issues. Former County Executive Frank White’s administration had been fighting the State Tax Commission’s ruling that mandated Jackson County roll back residential property taxes to reflect no more than a 15 percent increase from the 2022 value. Property owners did not see an increase above 15 percent in 2025; however, they are still owed reimbursement for 2023 and 2024.
“You all overpaid in 2023 and that overpayment went to the school districts and libraries,” he explained.
“They used it in their budgets, as they would. The money’s not there.”
Instead, property owners who overpaid will receive tax credits over the next three years, whether or not they filed an appeal.
Each year, Tax bills will reflect a subtraction of one-third the amount overpaid by the property owner in 2023 and 2024.
Additionally LeVota said that last year the county implemented a 15 percent tax cap on commercial properties after discovering those values continued to increase last summer.
Finally, because the contract with the county’s billing vendor had not been renewed by the former administration, tax bills were sent out late after they scrambled to find a last-minute substitution.
“To start charging people penalties and interest on January 1st when they didn’t get a tax bill, is just not right,” he said. He extended payments to January 31st despite being warned that it’s not legal.
Stability
LeVota emphasized that his goal upon taking the job as county executive was to restore accountability and government integrity.
“Nobody believes that I can bring in sort of stability, some sort of transparency,” he said. “And that’s why I’m here tonight. I want tao be able to go out in public and let you know, down in Jackson County government, there is stability and transparency, there’s accountability.”
With that, County Executive LeVota wrapped up news on his past three months in office. “So that’s kind of what I’ve been doing. It’s like a drink of water from a fire hose.”