Local News

Property Tax is an Option in Clay County Kansas

She looks intelligent. She sounds intelligent. She has the experience in dealing with big numbers of people in need. Logistically, she checks all the boxes. It looks like the Manhattan City Commission did its best in lieu of an open election. There were city residents at the special meeting who voiced concerns about not having an election. That is good. We at least got a little democratic resistance in a process that at first looked suspiciously opaque. It became open enough to show that all the commissioners are not in lock step, and in fact some, such as Matta, are showing how out of touch they are more and more.

Her name is Jayme Minton, and she has an impressive resume. She graduated from Kansas State University, and she has been heavily involved in different committees vital to the city's function and well-being for over a decade. So, she did not come out of nowhere like some of the recent candidates such as Oppelt and Adamchak. And she is keeping the likes of Butler and Hateshol from creeping back into the nest like a bad case of mites. Thereby, it seems that she is naturally keeping the good-ole-boy network in check and at bay. Network, as in having the appearance of outright vote rigging by a local church in blatant disregard of the Johnson Amendment.

We contacted a "Terry" at Klenda Austerman, who claims to be in charge of the auctions. Her response was that "it would be at least another 6 months" before these properties are put up for public auction. This article is dated 5/16/2025. She referred me to their website page for public auctions. There we found a list of several counties in Kansas who have also farmed out their delinquent tax business to Klenda Austerman. The counties are listed in alphabetical order. We found no listing for Clay County.

We contacted the Governor. She replied with the same "Home Rule" answer. So, here we have a situation where a poor county in Kansas, where two cities, Clay Center and Wakefield, are constantly battling for money, are taking no action to increase or at least maintain their tax revenue base. Also, the rights of the public, to prosper and grow by acquiring these fallow properties, is being denied outright. That is unconstitutional.

This also flies in the face of common sense. At a time when people are clamoring about an organization called "Grow Clay County," people are either actively working, or are too stupid and lazy, to enforce the tax codes already on the books. It's like Dumb and Dumber.