An effort to stop regular reassessment of homes is being renewed in the legislature.

Senator Jane Cunningham of Chesterfield could not get enough interest in this idea last year to even get a hearing on it when she was in the House. She’s renewing her effort to freeze all real property at its 2006 assessed value or at the purchase price paid if this proposal becomes law.

She calls Missouri’s present property assessment system "predatory," and says escalating property assessments and taxes, if not controlled, can turn the dream of homeownership into a nightmare.

Cunningham and her supporters would let taxing district such as school systems increase property valuations by two percent or the cost of living, whichever is less. She says school districts that would fall behind if the cost of living is more than two percent would have to get voter approval to keep from falling behind.

Cunningham is already a little ahead of last year. Her bill will get a Senate hearing next week.

House and Senate supporters claim to have bipartisan support although the only lawmakers discussing the plan at a Capitol news conference were Republicans.

A similar bill has been introduced in the House, but it’s been introduced late and the main hope for supporters will be with Cunningham’s proposal.

 

Here are links to the bills:

http://www.senate.mo.gov/09info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=513345

http://www.house.mo.gov/content.aspx?info=/bills091/bills/hb888.htm

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