The Swartz Report: Wichita in Summer? How Much Fun is That?!?

By Donald Swartz, President

Indurante Update

Yesterday, I returned from the annual Property Tax Conference in Wichita, KS. This was the 51^st annual conference hosted by Wichita State University and attracts individuals from all over the country representing various State Assessor’s offices, Departments of Revenue, consultants, publicly held entities and everything in between.

The conference focuses on state and centrally assessed properties such as pipelines, utilities, telecommunications and railroads. This is a great opportunity for our Indurante office to interact with assessors and Revenue Directors face-to-face as opposed to the usual emails and phone calls. We can never underestimate the power of face-to-face interaction. There is a certain level of trust that continues to be reinforced when meeting at receptions, hospitality suites, dinner and organized evening activities. Now add in the educational content and it is easy to see why this conference is so well attended each year.

Additionally, our company is a part of the Railway Supply Institute (RSI) Tax Committee. We carve out Tuesday afternoon during the conference to have our summer meeting. It is a fantastic way to for the major owners of private railcars to get updates on the various legislative initiatives concerning the rail industry as it relates to property tax and other tax matters. Combined, these members represent over 85% of all private railcars in use today. While several companies are considered competitors, it is refreshing to sit in a meeting to discuss issues and work together to benefit all. Clearly a takeaway we should never lose sight of.

Between this conference, the Railroad Equipment Finance Conference and the Railway Interchange Conference this fall, I believe Indurante thrives in its expertise concerning property tax valuations and continues to serve the best interests of our clients and the private railcar industry.

Swartz + Associates Update

On the Swartz + Associates front, Jackson County has extended the deadline to appeal the 2023 valuations until July 31^st. We anticipate having hundreds of appeals of commercial property parcels and this year. We have added residential properties (something we have not focused on in previous years) in an effort to support this underserved classification.

Typically, our industry does not review residential properties but we have made a concerted effort to make ourselves available to those seeking assistance in the residential community.

As always, we are so appreciative of the support we receive from our clients and the referrals they provide. I am always pleased to hear the words that begin a conversation with, “I got your phone number from…” It is very rewarding and reinforces the work product we provide. THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

I would love to hear from you – please reach out directly to me at or .