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Senate perfects property‑tax substitute with broadband assessment incentive and school facility fund; contentious floor fights over fiscal impacts
Summary
The Senate perfected a substitute for a multi‑bill package (senate substitute for S.B. 1410 and S.B. 853) that includes property‑tax transparency measures, a temporary five‑year reduced assessment for new broadband infrastructure to spur build‑out, and a proposed state school facilities fund. Senators debated fiscal impacts to local governments, whether federal broadband grants already cover build‑out, and protections for low‑income and rural districts.
The Missouri Senate on April 28 perfected a broad property‑tax and local government package by voice vote and then ordered the substitute printed. The package includes several transparency provisions for levies and notices, adjustments to senior tax‑credit reporting, a proposed state school facilities matching fund (a shell fund that requires future appropriations to be active), and a temporary assessment incentive to encourage broadband expansion.
Sponsor remarks framed the substitute as a transparency‑forward starting point for further work on property taxes. "If I used one word to categorize this bill, it would be 'transparency'," the bill sponsor said on the floor, noting work with counties, schools and auditing offices.
A contentious element drew extended debate: an amendment to assess newly deployed broadband infrastructure at a lower rate (12% of…
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