Missouri House approves package of bills aimed at limiting property tax increases and changing assessment rules

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri House on March 5 approved a set of bills and a joint resolution intended to curb sudden property-tax increases, change valuation methods and tighten oversight of county assessments and financial reporting.

Supporters framed the package as a response to recent large assessment-driven tax increases. "We need something to manage the egregious, property tax increases that we have had the assessment on counties," said the Gentleman from Jackson, Representative (government), urging passage of House Committee Substitute for House Joint Resolution 4. Lawmakers said the measures range from altering valuation publications used for vehicle assessments to adding consequences for counties that do not follow State Tax Commission orders.

The measures passed include a house committee substitute for House Joint Resolution 4 (HJR 4), House Committee Substitute for House Bill 999 (HB 999), House Bill 352 (HB 352), House Bill 816 (HB 816, called the Taxpayer Protection Act), House Bill 629 (HB 629), and House Committee Substitute for House Bill 1086 (HB 1086). Sponsors and floor supporters said the bills offer a mixture of incentives and technical changes intended to stabilize local tax levies and reduce county costs.

What the principal bills do

- HJR 4: Described on the floor as a tool to respond to rapid assessment increases, HJR 4 was presented by the Jackson representative as a measure his district supports to…