Following the rapid rise in property values in recent years, Missouri lawmakers have proposed Senate Bill 3, also known as Proposition RT, a bill designed to lower the cost of property and vehicle taxes in specific counties. Aiming to relieve citizens of increasing tax burdens, the bill proposes different property taxes for different types of property, as well as changing the current method of calculating property taxes.
“I don’t think it would impose too much of a strain on government facilities that rely on [property taxes],” St. Charles homeowner Parker Comparato said. “I think the pros of the common person being helped by that would massively outweigh the few people in the institutions that don’t want to lose a large sum of their paycheck.”
Some homeowners are looking forward to the proposed tax rates. However, others are divided about what this could mean for public services, and even criticize the current taxation system set in place.
“I just think [the taxes are] too much,” said Comparato. “I think it should be up to the government to sort out those finances. Not federal, probably state and local governments, because they’re going to have the tightest grasp on the current situation in any given area. I certainly think taxes are super beneficial, but the amount that, at least, I have seen, I think is way too much to be logical for the services that they provide.”
Property taxes fund a variety of public services, such as public safety, infrastructure, local government services, and public K-12 education. This means, if property taxes decrease, funding for these services will decrease as well.
“The district estimates a loss of $4 million in the first year if Proposition RT passes, and an estimate of $54 million total during the first five years,” FHSD School Board president Steven Blair said. “The district has been very stingy in getting taxpayer dollars to cover all of the necessities that make Francis Howell the number one school district in St. Charles County, but there’s no ability to pinch pennies or find any other way of moving funds…that can overcome the damage of Proposition RT.”
According to Blair, with a potential loss of money as large as $54 million in five years, FHSD would be forced to cut jobs and decrease salaries, reducing instruction quality and opportunities for students across the district.
“When we think about individual students, we have to consider students of all ages,” Blair said. “Throughout the district, there are current jobs that are needed that remain open intentionally, because we don’t want to hire somebody for a position that ends up being removed next year. Some of these positions include a reading specialist who can go to an elementary school… and have some dedicated one-on-one time with kids who have fallen behind in reading. This would also include services beyond elementary school, but middle school and high school services also.”
