The St. Louis County Council approved an ordinance last week that will freeze property taxes for eligible seniors.
The bill passed 4-2 at the council’s Oct. 17 meeting, with 3rd District Councilman Dennis Hancock, R-Fenton; 6th District Councilman Ernie Trakas, R-Oakville; 7th District Councilman Mark Harder, R-Ballwin; and 1st District Councilwoman Rita Heard Day, D-Bel-Nor, voting in favor. Council Chair and 4th District representative Shalonda Webb, D-Black Jack, and 2nd District Councilwoman Kelli Dunaway, D-Chesterfield, were opposed. Fifth District Councilwoman Lisa Clancy, D-Maplewood, was absent.
The bill freezes property tax increases for homeowners who are 67 and older and whose homes are valued at $550,000 or less. The bill also includes a “sunset clause” which means it will be reassessed in five years.
The option for a tax freeze is possible after Gov. Mike Parson signed legislation this year that allows counties to freeze property tax increases for seniors or put it to a public vote. Jackson County, as well as neighboring St. Charles County, passed a version of the freeze in September.
The council rejected a senior property tax freeze in July, with opponents expressing concerns that the freeze would apply to all property owners, including wealthy ones, as well as concerns that it would defund school districts and first responders.
“This is not a tax cut. Future tax payments for seniors simply will not be subject to future inflationary pressures as will food, medication, utilities and other day-to-day expenses,” Hancock, the latest bill’s sponsor, said. “I’m very proud to say we’ve worked together to improve this bill from the original bill we were handed. … I believe that we have clearly demonstrated … we can work together collaboratively to craft a bill that will actually benefit the people we represent.”
Webb said that she was still concerned regarding the bill and possible challenges in court since the state bill did not include a means test, while the county’s bill does.
“What the state sent to us was not acceptable, it wasn’t ready for prime time. … I appreciate the compromises that were made, but here with those compromises were still a clause and that clause says if any of those compromises are challenged in court and they lose, then we go back to what the state initially gave us,” Webb said. “I know you all want a headline – the Republicans care, the Democrats don’t. It’s not that easy everybody. The whole puzzle needs to be looked at.”
Hancock conceded that the bill was not perfect, but that it was not worth waiting for the state legislature to sort it out.
“This is also not a perfect bill. First of all, the legislature didn’t give us a perfect bill to start with but, in my opinion, we cannot wait for them to make corrections,” Hancock said. “If they do, great, if they do not, then we will have lost the precious time for our seniors.”
