Boone County voters overwhelmingly approved a measure Tuesday to implement a property tax freeze for seniors.
According to unofficial results posted by the Boone County Clerk's Office, votes in favor of the tax freeze totaled 13,928 compared to 6,430 votes opposed.
Seniors must be 62 years or older, own or have legal or equitable interest in a residence and must be liable to pay property taxes in Boone County to be eligible for the tax freeze.
Details of how the tax freeze will be implemented remain to be resolved, said Kip Kendrick, Boone County presiding commissioner.
"Moving forward, the Boone County Commission will begin soon drafting a policy to address the key issues of the proposal," Kendrick said Tuesday night.
At least 11 counties in Missouri have implemented a property tax freeze, according to previous Missourian reporting.
School districts and other taxing entities have expressed concerns over a potential loss in tax revenue. Columbia Public Schools estimated that a property tax freeze could cost anywhere between 10 percent and 20 percent of district revenue, or $3 million to $6 million.
The Boone County Commission previously declined to implement the optional policy in November 2023, citing concerns with implementation of the law, as well as "vague and unclear language."
In January, the commission opted to put the measure on the ballot, following clean-up legislation that addressed concerns from the Missouri Association of Counties, according to a press release.
Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch, R-Hallsville, gathered signatures for an initiative that would put a complete tax freeze on the August or November ballot. Toalson Reisch expressed concern that the Boone County Commission would only implement a partial freeze, and recently announced her campaign for Boone County District II commissioner.
Kendrick said the commission could investigate whether to design the program so that it sunsets after a period of time, so that commissioners can review how it's working.
Kendrick said the commission could also consider enacting a stipulation that applies only to homesteads with an appraisal value of $300,000 or less.
Following the results of the election, Kendrick said the commission wasn't surprised with the outcome.
Kendrick also emphasized the importance of involving the public in the process of adopting a policy, likely through public hearings in the coming weeks.
"As we've stated throughout this election cycle, the commission intends to implement a program that benefits the seniors who need it most, while also being mindful of the impact on taxing jurisdictions," Kendrick said.
The work of the Missouri News Network is written by Missouri School of Journalism students and editors for publication by Missouri Press Association member newspapers.