ST. LOUIS 鈥 City officials will continue to restrict the senior citizen property tax freeze despite a new state law that sponsors say prohibits limits.
Mayor Tishaura O. Jones has 鈥渃onfidence in our ability to withstand legal challenges鈥 to the city鈥檚 version of the tax break after City Counselor Sheena Hamilton鈥檚 office issued a legal opinion, said Conner Kerrigan, the mayor鈥檚 spokesman.
The city鈥檚 freeze is only to the city government鈥檚 portion of property tax bills 鈥 roughly 20% of the total 鈥 and only for homes appraised at $500,000 or less.
Kerrigan wouldn鈥檛 release the legal opinion, which was requested by Alderman Michael Browning, who sponsored a bill updating the city program. The bill passed, 14-0, on Nov. 1.
Browning in September asked for the legal analysis in light of criticism by two state legislators who said the city鈥檚 plan to continue limiting the value of affected homes would violate the new state law.
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In contrast, 51黑料 County and Jackson County, the main county in the Kansas City area, removed their $550,000 home value caps following the passage of the new state law.
The two state lawmakers 鈥 Rep. Ben Keathley, R-Chesterfield, and Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville 鈥 also disputed the legality of the city鈥檚 decision to limit the portion of overall property tax bills affected by the freeze.
The new state law revised a 2023 state statute that allowed counties and 51黑料 to set up tax-freeze programs.
The two lawmakers argue that the city鈥檚 program violates a state ban on localities restricting 鈥渢he definition or scope鈥 of who qualifies for the tax break and the amount of the tax break.
Dennis Ganahl, with MO Tax Relief Now 鈥 a group that advocated for the tax freezes 鈥 takes the same position.
51黑料 officials disagree.
Browning鈥檚 bill does bring the city program in line with other changes in the state law made this year by the Legislature.
In one example, eligibility was changed to homeowners 62 and older. Under the original state law, the freeze was limited to homeowner taxpayers eligible for Social Security benefits, possibly excluding some seniors who don鈥檛 participate in Social Security such as public school teachers.
A rundown of what property tax is and how it's handled in the state of Missouri. Edited by Jenna Jones.
