ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – An effort to help seniors on fixed incomes stay in their homes through a program to freeze real estate taxes.
This legislation stems not only from increasing real estate taxes but also from a bill signed by Missouri Governor Mike Parson last week.
Senate Bill 190 creates a program to freeze real estate taxes for anyone old enough to be eligible for Social Security benefits. Members of the Committee of the Whole got a chance to delve into Bill 114 Tuesday afternoon. Council members said they would like to hold the bill, do more research, and find a more sustainable solution.
Bill 114 allows seniors in St. Louis County to access this benefit and remain in their homes. However, Councilman Mark Harder, who filed the bill, said no formal decision has been made yet.
“The next step is tonight at the meeting. And I haven’t decided yet whether we’re going to move this bill forward and vote for a final vote or if I’m going to hold it. That decision hasn’t been made at this point,” Harder said.
St. Louis County has to opt in to the program.
“The Department of Health and Senior Services collects those statistics, and according to their latest report, roughly 30 percent of seniors in the state of Missouri are ‘housing burdened,’” said Dr. Thomas Eyssell, director of UMSL Financial Planning Programs. “And what that means is, they’re spending what’s considered an excessive amount of their income just on housing.”
“In our opinion, the way this bill is written is not a question of if or how it’s a question of when St. Louis County will implement this bill,” said Dennis Ganahl, director of Missouri Tax Relief Now.
If Bill 114 passes, St. Louis County would be the first county in the state to join this program. The freeze on real estate taxes for seniors will go into effect next year.