As the President of the Kansas Appraisers Association, Barton County Appraiser Barb Esfeld was in Topeka recently to make a presentation to the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee. At issue of course was property taxes and why many people consider them to be so high. Esfeld discussed that presentation that she made with Barton County Commissioners last week.

Barb Esfeld Audio

As part of the presentation she made to the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee was a 3 ½ minute video that was put together by the Riley County Appraiser’s Office that Esfeld says does a good job in providing an overview of an Appraiser’s duties. It was a video that Esfeld played for Barton County Commissioners.

Audio clip from video

Esfeld likes the video so much that it will soon be appearing on the County’s web-site.

Esfeld pointed out that in her opinion there are many factors to blame for high property taxes which include a growing number of exemptions, eroding tax base, declining population in rural communities as well as other factors that she did not get specific about.