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Parents and advocates warn Missouri bills could divert millions from St. Louis Public Schools
Summary
A parent leader and local advocates told the St. Louis Public Schools board that two Missouri House bills, HB 3395 and HB 3231, could divert property-tax revenues away from the district and cost SLPS millions annually; the board received a handout and said it will consider the concern.
John Regenbogen, co‑chair of the SLPS Parent Action Council's Housing and Incentives Committee, told the St. Louis Public Schools board on March 10 that two bills moving through the Missouri House — HB 3395 and HB 3231 — could severely constrain the district's ability to collect property taxes for schools.
Regenbogen, a parent and community organizer, said he provided a handout summarizing the proposals and their potential impacts and noted the district’s adopted legislative priorities, which include support for fair and equitable development and the right for SLPS to opt out of incentives that reduce school revenue. "What's at stake? It's millions of dollars on an annual basis and over 10, 20 years, tens of millions of dollars in SLPS revenue would be impacted if these bills pass," he said. He also cited the district’s latest annual comprehensive financial report and stated, "From the Latest ACFR from 2024, already $39 million has been diverted."
Regenbogen asked the board to consider how the bills would interact with local tax incentives and TIF‑style programs, saying the proposed state-level incentives could divert real and personal property taxes away from the district to other funds and jurisdictions, lengthen the period before the district would see benefits from state TIF programs, and limit SLPS's ability to "opt out" of incentives that harm school revenue.
Why it matters: SLPS depends heavily on local property taxes for operating revenue; speakers at the meeting framed the bills as a direct fiscal threat that could affect programs and services for students if enacted without protections. Regenbogen said the bills could shift revenue to public safety and rural development funds and away from city schools.
Board response and next steps: The board received Regenbogen's handout during the public comment period. The district did not take immediate action on the legislative proposals during the meeting; board members later discussed procedures for policy updates and committee work but did not vote on a formal position that evening. The board’s adopted legislative agenda and any formal resolutions would be the mechanism for the district to register opposition or recommend amendments.
Provenance: The concerns about HB 3395 and HB 3231 were introduced by John Regenbogen during the public comment period and are drawn from his remarks and the handout he supplied to the board.
