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Webster Groves holds public hearing on 2025 property tax rates; reassessment raised valuations pending board review
Summary
City staff presented proposed tax rates for 2025 and explained reassessments by St. Louis County that increased valuations in many neighborhoods; final valuations remain subject to the county Board of Equalization through Sept. 15.
The Webster Groves City Council conducted a joint public hearing Sept. 2 on two draft ordinances setting the city and Webster Groves Library District property tax rates for 2025.
Finance presenter Mr. Donovan explained that St. Louis County performs property assessments and that 2025 is an odd-numbered reassessment year for real property. Under Missouri practice explained in the presentation, residential property is assessed at 19 percent of market value; Donovan used the city’s median market value of $371,000 to illustrate the calculation and said the median annual property tax bill in Webster Groves is approximately $4,849.15 under the current levy mix.
Donovan reported notable reassessment increases in some areas: residential valuations rose 13.8% overall and commercial valuations about 15%; the Crossroads area rose roughly 29% and Old Orchard residential valuations rose about 40% in the preliminary assessments presented. He cautioned the figures reflected initial county assessments and would be subject to change by the St. Louis County Board of Equalization, which will issue its final valuations by Sept. 15.
Donovan also summarized how the total property tax rate is allocated among various taxing jurisdictions, noting roughly 9% of a typical property tax dollar goes to the city and larger shares go to the school district and special districts. He said the city’s general-fund residential rate is proposed to drop from 0.161 to 0.147 per $100 of assessed value; debt service rates are unchanged by valuation fluctuations.
A resident, Dave Buck, asked for a plain-language explanation of the year-over-year narrative; Donovan and staff noted the 2024 trend (a prior year decrease in assessed value) contrasts with the 2025 reassessment increases and that final rates could change after the board of equalization completes its work.
Council conducted first and second readings of Bill 9286 (city) and Bill 9287 (library district). The ordinances remain subject to final adjustments after the county board issues final assessment decisions.
