ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo.—A bill that would have made St. Louis County the first in the state to enact a freeze on property taxes for seniors as allowed under a new state law was defeated by a 4-3 vote Tuesday night after County Council members heard more input from senior citizens, municipal leaders and county revenue officials over the potential impact.

Bill 114, fell on a party line vote, with the Democratic party majority prevailing. Republican Councilman Ernie Trakas voted in favor of the bill sponsored by Councilman Mark Harder, despite concerns over the enabling law passed by state lawmakers and signed by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson. Trakas described the state measure as "poorly written, bad legislation." Another GOP vote in favor, Councilman Dennis Hancock said the state legislation was "not a perfect bill--not even close", but said the burden was on municipalities and taxing districts to show how their budgets would have been impacted.

While the county-level measure was defeated, one member of the public who testified in favor of it over the course of two public meetings Tuesday reminded that the fight may have just begun. The authorizing state legislation offered two paths to a property tax freeze for seniors. One path was from legislation passed by county lawmakers. The other could potentially come from a public vote following a petition campaign.

 

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Updated at 4:45pm Tuesday

 

County lawmakers questioned St. Louis County administration officials Tuesday on a fiscal report that laid out what a proposed property tax assessment freeze for senior citizens would have cost the county and its muncipalities in recent years and as well as new costs for implementing the freeze.

A County Council Committee of the Whole meeting began at 4 p.m. Tuesday. The council met in similar fashion last Tuesday to hear more feedback on a bill that would make St. Louis County the first in the state to freeze assessments for seniors under a new state law recently signed by Gov. Mike Parson.

What You Need To Know

  • The St. Louis County Council's Committee of the Whole meets at 4 p.m. Tuesday in Council chambers located at 41 S. Central Ave in Clayton, where it will hear more public comment on a proposed freeze on property tax assessments for seniors. A final vote on legislation could follow at the regular council meeting scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the same location 

  • Advocates say the move will help seniors on a fixed income stay in their homes, and that the proposal will not change the amount of money currently being collected

  • Opponents say the measure could effectively de-fund local school districts and fire protection districts

  • County officials have said if the proposal had been in place, it would have cost municipalities more than $30 million in revenue over the past five years and that there would be new costs in personnel and equipment to handle the accounting for the freeze. County Council members are expected to press officals on their data and the cost of implementation

County Revenue Department officials have said St. Louis County municipalities would have lost more than $30 million over the past five years if the measure had been in place, and that if it does become law in St. Louis County there would be personnel and other costs involved to implement it.

Revenue Director Scott Lakin told Council members the estimates seemed reasonable and that the goal was to be conservative. Lakin said there were issues tied to determining eligibility for the tax credit freeze, given that the Revenue department doesn't currently track the age, marital status and eligibility for social security.

Lakin also voiced concern that without a major effort to educate the public, the people who will benefit are the ones who get the tax advice to appy for it. 

Councilman Mark Harder, sponsor of the county legislation, held it from a final vote last Tuesday after Board Chair Shalonda Webb asked for more due diligence and information from county officials. Representatives from the the Department of Revenue and Department of Administration are expected to provide testimony Tuesday, in addition to advocates for the legislation, including members of MO Tax Relief Now and the Silver-Haired Legislature.

Representatives from the Parkway School District and Mid-County Fire Department are also expected to provide comment, along with the Missouri Municipal League, which unsuccessfully lobbied Gov. Parson to veto the state bill.

Supporters say the legislation will help senior citizens stay in their homes.

Opponents of the authorizing legislation at the state level blame the lack of state funding for education for the reliance on property taxes at the local level, and fear that a freeze would effectively defund public education as well as area fire departments.

Councilman Ernie Trakas said last week he’s inclined to support the measure but still had misgivings that there was no apparent way to tailor it so that someone living in a $10 million home couldn’t get the same benefit that may have been meant to help a low-income retiree on a fixed income.

The Council will hold its regularly scheduled meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday where a final vote on the legislation could be called. Public comment will be taken at both meetings.