Voter Guide

Simple majority required.Ballot wording: For the purposes of maintaining quality municipal service levels, including police, fire, emergency medical services, code enforcement and trash collection, shall the City of Richmond Heights, Missouri, be authorized to increase the operating tax levy ceiling by $0.31 per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation? If this increase is approved, the residential real property operating tax levy ceiling is estimated to be $0.515 per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation; the commercial real property operating tax levy ceiling is estimated to be $0.662 per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation; and the personal property operating tax levy ceiling is estimated to be $0.599 per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation.Summary: The proposition increases the property tax rate by 31 cents per $100 assessed valuation to provide more revenue for services such as police, fire protection, emergency services, code enforcement and trash pickup. The owner of a home worth $300,000 would pay about $177 more a year in property taxes. Proponents say the tax hike is needed to maintain the city’s current services because of increased costs and a substantial decrease in retail sales revenue over recent decades. Supporters also say that services have been reduced recently to balance the budget and would need to be cut considerably more after 2028 if this tax increase isn't approved.