Editor’s note: The council voted 4-3 July 18 not to freeze property taxes for eligible seniors. Read more in the July 27 print edition of the St. Louis Call. The article below appeared in the July 20 print edition of The Call, which went to press before the council’s final vote. 

The St. Louis County Council opted to postpone a vote on a property tax freeze for seniors at its meeting July 11.

Earlier this month, Gov. Mike Parson signed into law Senate Bill 190, which allows counties to freeze property taxes for seniors once they are old enough to be eligible for Social Security benefits, which is 62. Counties can adopt the program via ordinance or put it on a ballot for people to vote on. Seventh District Councilman Mark Harder, R-Ballwin, is the sponsor of the St. Louis County bill to adopt the program. If it passes, the county would be the first in the state to enact the new law.

At the July 11 council meeting, several council members expressed their concerns with the bill and the impact it could have on tax revenues for municipalities, school districts and other government entities. The bill would not get rid of property taxes outright for seniors, but would freeze the tax rate from any future growth.

Sixth District Councilman Ernie Trakas, R-Oakville,  said that while he wasn’t against the bill, there were some components he was apprehensive of, such as the lack of income limits or property value limits on the tax freeze.

The bill could have been voted on as soon as July 18 — after The Call went to press.