Staff Proposes No Increase to Real Estate Taxes for St. Charles County

Authorizing projected real estate and property tax rates for 2012 is on the St. Charles County Council’s agenda for its Monday night meeting.

Finance Director Bob Schnur said staff is recommending that the county keep its 2012 tax rates the same as 2011. That breaks down as follows:

• General fund - 0.16 cent (16/100ths of a cent) per $100 assessed value.
• County Road and Bridge fund – 20.25 cents per $100 assessed value.
• Dispatch and Alarm fund – 3.9 cents per $100 assessed value.

Assessed value on a residence is 19 percent of market value. Other taxing districts, such as school, fire protection, ambulance and library districts set their own rates.

The county sets the official rate in the fall. The projected rates have been required by law since 2009, Schnur said.

“It’s to provide a preliminary tax notice to people whose property values have gone up,” he said. “That way, there’s no big surprises for them.”

The county council could choose to raise or lower taxes, Schnur said.

In past months, speakers addressing potential raises for Sheriff’s deputies and other county employees linked salaries to the county’s low tax rate and discussed raising the rates.

However, after two years without salary increases, all county employees did receive a 1 percent across-the-board pay increase with an additional 2 percent increase for those with good performance reviews. The increase was based on a modest projected increase in sales tax revenue as the economy slowly recovers.

On the table

The council has several tabled bills listed on the agenda. Tabled bills can be taken off the table and dealt with at any time, or they can remain tabled indefinitely. The tabled bills include:

• Amending regulations on telecommunication towers and antennas;
• Placing charter amendments on the ballot regarding forfeiture of a county council seat and for filling vacancies on the council.

The council meets at 7 p.m. tonight at the County Executive Building, 300 North Third St. A closed session is scheduled for 6 p.m.