South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

Grantwood Village board sets 2013 tax rates

2013 tax rates ‘revenue neutral,’ village clerk says

Grantwood Village will generate roughly $56,000 in revenue due to the village’s recently approved “revenue-neutral” tax rates, according to Village Clerk Mark Kienstra.

The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve 2013 tax rates at its meeting last week.

Grantwood Village’s assessed valuation for personal property increased to $2.53 million from $2.48 million, while residential, commercial and agricultural assessed valuation all decreased. Residential decreased to $19.9 million from $20.4 million; commercial to $1.32 million from $1.34 million; and agricultural to $45,110 from $46,740.

As a result, the residential real estate tax rate increased from 23 cents per $100 of assessed valuation in 2012 to 23.7 cents in 2013. The commercial real estate tax rate increased from 16.4 cents to 17.7 cents. The agricultural tax rate increased from 49.2 cents to 50 cents. Personal property remained the same at 26.1 cents.

Kienstra said during the Sept. 17 meeting that the board previously adopted a budget, which “is predicated on certain revenue.”

“The tax rates that we set for Grantwood Village only pertains to the assessment that come(s) into Grantwood village from the property owners, which is a small fraction of the overall tax bill,” Kienstra said.

Building Commissioner Bob Bess said he believes the increase in tax rates is “very fair and something that has to be done.”

During a period for public comment, resident Gerry Gallagher told the board she has concerns about traffic on Grant and Gravois roads relating to Grant’s Farm and Grant’s Trail.

She also said the location of the booth where Grant’s Farm visitors pay to park causes cars to back up.

“My solution for that would be that they move that booth, that toll booth way farther back …,” Gallagher said. “… I’ve lived in Grantwood for 31 years, this is my 32nd summer and I can tell that you it’s gotten worse and worse and worse.”

Chairman Kevin Kelso said Grant’s Farm attendance “has been flat” since around 2000. He also told Gallagher the village has no control over Gravois Road because it is a state road, but it does have jurisdiction over Grant Road. The village, according to Kelso, will contact both the Missouri Department of Transportation, or MoDOT, and Grant’s Farm about her concerns.

Kelso said the village’s total street budget is roughly $60,000 and the village is “kind of limited” in how it can handle the traffic flow.

“Unless you — not you personally,” Kelso told Gallagher, “I’m not speaking to you individually on this. You, meaning the collective you, want to start paying for traffic lights and somehow raising that money there’s not too much we can do on Gravois. We’re on the mercy of MoDOT on there.”

Kienstra told the Call that Gallagher’s comments do not reflect the views of all village residents relating to Grant’s Farm.