Bill Moyes has lived in Boone County for 57 years. Before he retired, he worked as a schoolteacher.
At a public hearing Thursday, he and several other senior citizens spoke with the Boone County commissioners about Proposition 1, a property tax freeze for seniors.
Voters overwhelmingly approved the proposition, which exempts senior citizens from certain increases in the property tax liability due on such senior citizens’ primary residences, according to the April 2 election ballot question.
But Moyes said it’s unclear who is eligible for the program.
“Interesting enough in the statute, it never defines senior citizens,” Moyes said.
The proposition was fueled by Senate Bill 190, which Gov. Mike Parson signed into law last summer. Those who qualify for the tax freeze are defined as “Missouri resident[s]” who are “eligible for Social Security retirement benefits,” according to the bill.
Moyes said the law is nonspecific, and he believes a lot needs to be cleaned up in the language.
“Being an eligible taxpayer (to qualify for the program) includes that you have to be eligible for Social Security,” Moyes said. “That doesn’t apply to everybody. Teachers for one. I’m a retired teacher, so that makes a difference to me.”
Boone County Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick said the commissioners are currently drafting a policy to clear up the confusion, but they still need final clarification of their own from lawmakers at the state Capitol.
“We’re certainly monitoring several pieces of legislation, been monitoring that every day to see what happens,” Kendrick said.
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
One of those bills Kendrick referenced was Senate Bill 756, sponsored by Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, which would modify the definition of “eligible taxpayer” in the original bill by providing that a taxpayer should be 62 years of age or older, rather than eligible for Social Security retirement benefits.
Kendrick said he’s confident SB 756 will be the legislation that the commissioners will draft their policy around. The Senate passed the bill March 7, and it made it through two House committees. It is waiting a vote from the full House.
Moyes also pointed out that the SB 190’s statute doesn’t specify which of the county’s tax authorities in which the statute applies.
“Is it just the county portion of the tax? Is it the school district? The fire district? Ambulance district? The water district? The library district and so on?” Moyes said.
The commission previously told KOMU 8 News among key elements of the program was a means test, which would evaluate an appraised value of an individual’s property to determine if they are eligible for the program. This stipulation, which the commission previously told KOMU was in the policy draft, would make the tax freeze program would only be eligible to properties with an appraised value of $300,000 or less, as determined by the county assessment file. However, Kendrick said that option is not on the table anymore.
“We don’t believe that we’re going to have the statutory authority to do (a means test). It’s not in the current draft (of the policy),” Kendrick said.
The people who asked for clarity at Thursday’s hearing on who is eligible for the program didn’t get a clear answer.
Kendrick said the commissioners will try to have a drafted policy out after the legislative session concludes in May. He said he wants to clear up the confusion, but the commission doesn’t want to release a draft of the county’s policy in case the legislation changes.
There will be three other public hearings regarding the senior citizen tax relief program, according to a news release from the commission:
- Hallsville City Hall at 1:30 p.m. April 25
- Centralia City Hall at 1:30 p.m. May 2
- Ashland City Hall at 1:30 p.m. May 9