CLAYTON, Mo. (KMOX) - The St. Louis County Council took a final vote Tuesday night on a bill to give property tax relief to seniors.
Following a second public hearing where council members heard plenty of "for and against" bill 114, sponsor Mark Harder said seniors are being taxed out of their homes, "I think this is an opportunity to show some good judgment and to show that our community values our seniors, with a reduction in the growth of their taxes, not really a reduction in their taxes."
Councilwoman Lisa Clancy said she cannot support the "one size fits all" approach taken by the state legislature and the hurt it would place on local taxing bodies, "I am deeply concerned about under-funding of public education in our state. This bill is anti-public education. And, as we heard tonight in our hearing, it is also anti-public safety. It has huge ramifications for our fire districts and firefighters."
Councilman Dennis Hancock said it wasn't a perfect bill..but he supported it, "We can vote against this bill and do nothing to help anybody, or we can vote for it, help those who need help now, and then work through our friends in the legislature to improve it in the future."
Councilwoman Rita Heard Days voted against it, "I was a member of the Missouri legislature for 15 years. I will tell you I would not bank on that body making the necessary changes it needs to make to affect what needs to happen in St. Louis County."
The vote was 4-3 to reject the bill.
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