ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – The program to give St. Louis County senior citizens a break on their property taxes is still on hold.
County Councilman Dennis Hancock says the program has hit yet another snag and it will be at least another month before seniors can apply for the property tax freeze.
“It’s very disappointing to me because we were under the impression that we were about six weeks from the time we freed up the funds to be able to implement, which would have put us around the first of July,” he said. “So, now it looks like we’re going to be closer to the first of August.”
The councilman says the original legislation was passed last October. The county department of revenue asked for $1.7 million to get the program up and running. The council balked at that, approving just $300,000.
“I think that what it comes down to is that we made a promise to seniors in St. Louis County that we would be freezing their property taxes,” Hancock said. “We haven’t delivered on that promise. It’s been eight months now since we cast the original legislation, and we still don’t have a vehicle in place for them to sign up for the program.”
Meanwhile, seniors like Joyce Stinnett are angry about having another delay.
“Are they just putting things off? Cause they really don’t want to do it?” she said. “I feel that we, as seniors, are at their mercy. It’s like you’re not being heard. As a senior, you have to watch your dollars and cents.”
FOX 2 reached out to County Executive Sam Page and got this response from his spokesman, Doug Moore: “The council approved a senior property tax freeze but did not provide the funding to fully implement it. I urge seniors to call their council members, asking them to fund this program so St. Louis County can provide some relief for our older residents.”
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