Update to Sedgwick County Appraiser’s Office Ongoing Review of Property Tax Exemption Records

(Sedgwick County, Kan.) – The Sedgwick County Appraiser’s Office has been conducting an ongoing review of all property tax exemption records after identifying data discrepancies involving exemption status, property sales and supporting documentation. This review began in November 2025 and included previously released information pertaining to previously discussed industrial revenue bonds.

The review continued under Sedgwick County Appraiser Deanna Aspedon, who began in her role in January 2026, and has identified approximately 400 parcels that may not have met statutory exemption requirements. Many of the identified instances remained active after a property sale, records were not fully documented, or exemption status was not accurate. Sedgwick County has more than 6,500 regular exemptions on record.

Kansas law provides more than 30 property tax exemption statutes, each with specific eligibility requirements based on property ownership, property use, or both. While the County Appraiser facilitates tax exemptions, the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals (BOTA) owns and has final approval of all tax exemptions.

Under K.S.A. 79-214, a property owner must notify the county appraiser within 30 days when exempt property no longer qualifies for an exemption. In some cases, property owners did not make required notifications after a property was sold or its qualifying use ended. As a result, exemptions remained active when they may no longer have been appropriate.

The Appraiser’s Office has begun corrective action to remove exemptions where appropriate and is strengthening its exemption administration process. Each property’s exemption is being evaluated according to its individual circumstances and applicable Kansas law.

“Operations and exemptions were managed differently under the previous Appraiser’s administration. Now, my office is taking the necessary steps to correct identified errors, strengthen procedures in accordance with Kansas law and prevent similar issues from becoming systemic,” Aspedon said. “My goal is to ensure that property tax exemptions are applied only to properties that qualify under Kansas law and to ensure the required approval through the BOTA process is received. Accurate property records are essential to maintaining public confidence in the property tax system.”

The Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners were briefed Friday morning regarding the ongoing status of the reviews and gave an example of a tax-exempt property.

BoCC has authorized additional funding for the Appraiser’s Office to implement modernized software and add dedicated capacity for exemption reviews. These investments are intended to improve record accuracy, strengthen oversight and identify issues earlier in the process.

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