The St. Louis County senior property tax freeze could finally see some life after the County Council approved additional funding for the program last month.
The council approved an additional $600,000 on July 23 for the Department of Revenue to implement the program by a 5-2 vote.
6th District Councilman Ernie Trakas, R-Oakville, who will face attorney Mike Archer in the primary on Tuesday, sponsored the measure.
“I know it’s somewhat controversial, but I do believe it will provide the Department of Revenue with sufficient funds to give it a chance. A chance … to have an application process up and running before this year is over. If we don’t … we will still be in a hold pattern, not providing seniors an opportunity to apply for this tax freeze on their properties,” Trakas said at the July 23 meeting, which he attended via teleconference. “Let’s get this finally passed for the seniors.”
The council approved the legislation for the county’s senior tax freeze last October, and they allotted $300,000 for the program in April. However, the Department of Revenue said that is not enough to cover the costs of the new hires and new software to implement the program, which it said will cost approximately $1.8 million.
“I support the senior tax freeze and I think, as everyone recalls, I’ve been an advocate for it … I can’t support this bill … given the timing of where we are,” said 3rd District Councilman Dennis Hancock, R-Fenton, one of the original supporters of the tax freeze. “We gave them $300,000 in April … so the money that we gave them in April will fund what’s necessary for the rest of the year. Now, if we want to have a conversation in the fourth quarter when we’re talking about the budgets and what it’s going to take for 2025, then I’m all for it.”
Seventh District Councilman Mark Harder, R-Ballwin, echoed some of Hancock’s concerns about the previously allocated money but offered a compromise on the additional funding so the tax freeze could get out of limbo, suggesting the council can pull the funds if it seems the Department of Revenue is not using them properly. Harder will face former State Rep. David Gregory and Jim Bowline in the primary on Tuesday for Missouri’s 15th Senate District.
“I’ve had concerns since the beginning with this. I was very disappointed that we gave $300,000 to the Department of Revenue and none of it has been spent … I understand that we need to move this forward. It is against my better judgment to give more money to a situation that hasn’t been corrected,” Harder said. “If we vote for this, and if I vote for this, if this isn’t spent on the senior program, we’re gonna be calling this back, and I will be the first person to file legislation to claw this back … because if this is used to buy other things that were cut out of budgets other places, that’s not the purpose of this.”
Council Chairwoman Shalonda Webb, a Democrat representing the 4th District, agreed with Harder, while 1st District Councilwoman Rita Heard Days, D-Bel-Nor, said that she could not support additional funding without reviewing what the original $300,000 was spent on.
Fifth District Councilwoman Lisa Clancy, D-Maplewood; 2nd District Councilwoman Kelli Dunaway, D-Chesterfield; Harder, Trakas and Webb voted in favor of the additional funds, while Hancock and Days were opposed.
The Department of Revenue still has to set up its “Tax Freeze” unit before it can begin processing applications. To qualify for the senior property tax freeze, eligible taxpayers must be 62 years old, have written proof of an ownership interest in the property for which they are applying and primarily reside in the property for which they are applying. Applicants may not claim more than one primary residence. The revenue department will announce complete application instructions once it is closer to opening the application phase.
The council also approved a bill amending who could apply for the senior tax freeze, bringing it in line with changes made by the Missouri Legislature this year, which removed the $550,000 home value limit and lowered the age limit from 67 to 62. That ordinance passed 6-1, with Clancy opposed.
“I can’t support what amounts to tax breaks for wealthy people. … I cannot support something that is going to hurt public school children and firefighters,” Clancy said.