Appraiser's Office in 'substantial compliance,' according to state review

The Property Valuation Division of the Kansas Department of Revenue performs an annual compliance review of county appraisal offices.  The review is intended to evaluate the accuracy and uniformity in the property appraisals of each county as well as compliance with Kansas laws and regulations related to the administration of the property appraisal system.

A score of 75 points or greater is required to be considered in substantial compliance. The Douglas County Appraiser’s Office scored 97 out of 100 points on the 2024 review. The County Appraiser received notification of its score on Aug. 12. “Your county has met the criteria for substantial compliance,” David Harper, director of the Property Valuation Division, said in the notification letter.

The Appraiser’s Office didn’t receive three points because the appraised values on commercial property were below the typical price ranges for sales that occurred in 2023; however, the values were uniformly and equitably applied, according to the state’s review.

The Appraiser’s Office, which has 15 employees, manages and values about 48,300 personal and real property accounts each year. The total appraised value for residential properties in Douglas County is $12.6 billion, and it’s $1.6 billion for commercial properties. 

“The strong performance review reflects a lot of hard work accomplished by my staff,” County Appraiser Brad Eldridge said. “I am proud of their hard work and dedication.”