Across St. Louis County, over $30 million of revenue was lost due to the first year of the senior property tax freeze. This money usually goes to municipalities, public schools, fire districts, libraries and beyond; these recent revenue losses were dependent on the local tax rates of the seniors applying.
Some South County school districts took major hits to their budgets. For more information on how the senior property tax freeze may affect local schools, check out prior reporting by The Call. Information was updated online to clarify how the parcel count factors into revenue losses.
Sunset Hills is facing a revenue loss of $2,283.53 from 865 parcels. According to Sunset Hills finance director Jeff Trentmann, this is a 1% approximate impact to the city’s 2025 tax levy, and there will be no need for a budget adjustment this fiscal year.
Crestwood is facing a revenue loss of $79,009.07 from 1,198 parcels.
Green Park, which set its typical tax rate of $0 for residential and personal property, did not have a revenue fluctuation. Green Park City Clerk Theresa Pfyl said, “Since the city’s property tax is only levied on commercial property, we do not expect a significant impact to our tax revenue due to the senior freeze.”
South County municipalities’ Road and Bridge taxes were also affected. They are allocated to the County Road Fund — separate from the General Fund, which would attest to revenue loss from general taxes, according to Trentmann.
“The board approves a resolution each year approving an affidavit certifying the proceeds from the tax will be used for the improvement and repair of public roads, streets and bridges within the city,” Trentmann said.
For Sunset Hills’ Road and Bridge, there was a revenue loss of $4,414.88 from 865 parcels. For Crestwood, it was $2,800.74 lost from 1,198 parcels, and for Green Park’s Road and Bridge, there was a revenue loss of $407.72 from 204 parcels.
Local fire protection districts also saw revenue losses. The Mehlville Fire Protection District lost $206,117.64 in revenue from 11,257 parcels. The Lemay Fire Protection District lost $17,440.09 from 792 parcels, and the Affton Fire Protection District lost $47,358.13 from 2,231 parcels.
