​Dear Editor:
 
Earlier this year, Missouri homeowners received their reassessment notices on the value of their property. For many homeowners, the new values were quite a shock. In Jackson County, for example, the average assessment increase was 30 percent.
 
Missouri’s Hancock Amendment is supposed to require tax rate rollbacks as assessed values increase. Reassessment is not supposed to be a tax increase. However, the high inflation of last year allows local governments to roll back rates far less than usual, if at all. Columbia announced it was keeping its city tax rate exactly the same, despite an eight-percent average valuation increase in Boone County. Don’t let your county or other local government do the same.

In September, counties throughout Missouri are setting their tax rates for 2023. Many of them are seeing large increases in the assessed valuations within their boundaries. Missouri taxpayers need to demand that their counties—and other taxing districts within certain charter counties—roll back rates to offset the otherwise large property tax hikes people will see later this year. Yes, this means local governments should roll back rates even more than is required by Hancock.
 
Large increases in assessed valuations don’t have to translate to large tax increases, but they will if local officials keep their tax rates the same or lower them by the bare minimum required. High inflation shouldn’t be an excuse to hammer taxpayers with large tax hikes. Taxpayers deserve—and should demand—better treatment from their county officials and other local governments.
 
Sincerely,
 
David Stokes
Director of Municipal Policy
Show-Me Institute
 
5297 Washington Place
St. Louis, MO 63108
314-454-0647

     As a GVHS student myself, I believe that this bond issue is a very important step to improving the lives and opportunities for all students. I myself have been involved in the band program ever since early middle school, and the most recent addition of a new fine arts wing has drastically improved the capabilities of all 180 members of our high school band. I am also aware that this new addition of a gym and field house will again drastically improve the capabilities for not only our national ranking band, but all sports and activities alike. This new addition will allow for much more time coordination abilities between all school activities, improving all relations, and time able to spent practicing or rehearsing.

- Nathan Stokes, Grain Valley