Masterson and Holscher Clash Over Kansas Property Tax Reform
Republican Ty Masterson and Democrat Cindy Holscher are trading accusations over stalled property tax relief as they compete in the Kansas gubernatorial race.
Republican gubernatorial nominee and Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson and Democratic nominee Senator Cindy Holscher are clashing over the failure to implement significant property tax reform in Kansas. Despite Republican supermajorities in the legislature since 2021, statewide property tax revenue rose from $5.4 billion to $6.6 billion by 2025.
Holscher accuses Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins of failing to leverage their legislative power to provide relief for homeowners. Masterson has countered by blaming Democrats and local government spending for the high taxes. While legislative efforts produced a truth in taxation law and minor exemptions, major reforms remained stalled in 2026 due to gridlock between the House and Senate and vetoes by Governor Laura Kelly, including a veto of legislation that would have capped city and county spending increases.
To address the issue, Masterson has proposed a Homeowners Bill of Rights that would use a constitutional amendment to cap annual property valuation growth at 3%. Holscher advocates for lowering the taxed percentage of home values from 11.5% to 9% and increasing state funding for special education to reduce the financial burden on local school boards.
