Commission approves extension for commercial solar farm

Funding agreement passed for solar project despite ratepayer concerns

Statehouse considers strict property tax caps for local governments

County coordinates with 'Big Five' to oppose property tax bill

Bill could grant county autonomy over local sales tax increases

Legislature weighs moving all local elections to even-numbered years

Lawmakers advance bills to expunge eviction records, aid housing trusts

State prepares short-term rental adjustments for 2026 World Cup

KU Innovation Park finalizes designs for next expansion phase

Commission approves extension for commercial solar farm

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Kan. — The Douglas County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 to grant a one-year extension for the Kansas Sky Energy Center's conditional use permit, with Commissioners Patrick Kelly, Karen Willey, Shannon Reid, and Gene Dorsey voting in favor and Commissioner Erica Anderson opposed. The extension pushes the permit's expiration date to April 13, 2027. Developers Savion and Evergy requested the extension because ongoing litigation — now set for a trial start date of Nov. 30, 2026 — has legally prevented them from making permanent changes to the property or securing a final building permit.

Funding agreement passed for solar project despite ratepayer concerns

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Kan. — In a related 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Erica Anderson serving as the sole dissenting vote, the commission approved a funding agreement for the commercial solar energy project, establishing a mechanism for the county to recoup actual costs for third-party inspections. The estimated building permit fee is approximately $270,000, which will adjust based on the final project value. The item sparked substantial debate, with opponents arguing that Douglas County taxpayers and vulnerable residents are unfairly bearing the infrastructure burden for multimillion-dollar data centers while utility companies could financially benefit through recent Kansas Corporation Commission rate hikes.

Statehouse considers strict property tax caps for local governments

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Kan. — During a mid-session legislative update, Douglas County lobbyist Stuart Little informed the board about advancing state property tax legislation that could strictly cap local government budget increases. The prevailing legislation, House Bill 2745, would limit local budget growth tied to an inflation metric commonly described as a Midwest-area Consumer Price Index, and in some versions would allow a protest petition process using a 10 percent signature threshold tied to recent election turnout. The proposal also includes provisions described as restoring or revising revenue-neutral notice and hearing requirements for taxpayers.

County coordinates with 'Big Five' to oppose property tax bill

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Kan. — Following the legislative update, commissioners announced plans to coordinate with Kansas' "Big Five" counties — Wyandotte, Johnson, Sedgwick, Douglas and Shawnee — to formally oppose House Bill 2745. The board argued the proposed property tax caps would create unnecessary bureaucracy, confuse the public regarding who has standing to sign protest petitions and potentially raise taxpayer costs by failing to clearly exempt bond issues. Commissioners plan to lobby local representatives to vote against the measure to protect the budgets of the county's 47 smaller taxing authorities, such as townships and drainage districts.

Bill could grant county autonomy over local sales tax increases

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Kan. — Douglas County could soon gain the authority to raise local sales taxes without seeking prior legislative approval from the state. House Bill 2712 would eliminate the requirement for counties to obtain state permission before implementing general or special local sales tax increases. The bill has already passed the House, and lobbyist Stuart Little noted that advocates are optimistic it will clear the Senate.

Legislature weighs moving all local elections to even-numbered years

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Kan. — State lawmakers are advancing election bills, including Senate Bill 231 and House Bill 2452, that would mandate all local elections — including school and library boards — move to even-numbered years. Little said the move is seen by some as a precursor to making all local races partisan. House Bill 2451 would penalize local governments with a Class C misdemeanor and a civil fine for using public resources to distribute informational materials about ballot questions, such as bond issues.

Lawmakers advance bills to expunge eviction records, aid housing trusts

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Kan. — Several housing-related bills are moving through the Statehouse, including House Bill 2357 to expunge eviction records after three years to help renters avoid long-term housing discrimination. House Bill 2408 aims to assist community land trusts, such as Habitat for Humanity, by providing clear guidance to appraisers to separate the value of the land from the value of the home, a move expected to streamline affordable housing development.

State prepares short-term rental adjustments for 2026 World Cup

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Kan. — In preparation for the 2026 World Cup, the state legislature is reviewing House Bill 2481 to loosen local restrictions on short-term rentals to accommodate the influx of tourists. The legislation would suspend local short-term rental limits from May 15 to July 25, 2026, and adjust the application of transient guest taxes. Additionally, lawmakers are establishing emergency declaration protocols that would allow the governor and legislative leaders to institute specific controls during large-scale events like the World Cup or the Super Bowl.

KU Innovation Park finalizes designs for next expansion phase

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Kan. — KU Innovation Park is moving forward with its next phase of expansion. During a board update, KU Innovation Park officials reported that building designs have been finalized, ground has been broken and multiple leases are already signed by companies planning to locate at the site. The commission also noted that a requested Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program — an arrangement allowing the facility to make negotiated payments instead of standard property taxes — is making progress and will be presented to the board soon.

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