St. Charles County Assessor Scott Shipman and Assessor-Elect Travis Welge are hosting community question-and-answer sessions to give the public an opportunity to discuss real estate reassessments. The reassessment process occurs every odd year to revalue properties within the county for purposes of equalization.
“Reassessment is important to maintain current market values for real estate property and accurately reflect those values to equitably distribute the tax burden established by each taxing district,” Shipman says. “General economic conditions such as interest rates, inflation rates, supply and demand, and changes in tax laws influence the value of real estate, and as property values change in the marketplace, those changes must be reflected on assessments.”
The effective date is from the last reassessment—Jan. 1, 2021—until Jan. 1, 2023. Notices of Real Estate Assessment will be mailed to property owners starting around April 14. Taxpayers have 10 days from the mailed date on the notice to schedule an informal hearing with a staff member from the Assessor’s office to discuss the property value or classification by calling 636-949-7431, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday. Scheduled informal hearings will be conducted beginning the last week of April through early June. If an agreement is not reached after the informal hearing, the property owner would then file an appeal with the Board of Equalization.
Shipman says the community Q&A sessions are an effort to help further explain the reassessment process and provide property owners the ability to have their questions answered without the need to schedule a hearing. Community Q&As will be held on the following dates and times at St. Charles City-County Library branches:
- 3-6 p.m., Wednesday, April 26 at the Kathryn Linnemann Branch in St. Charles
- 3-6 p.m., Wednesday, May 3 at the Spencer Road Branch in St. Peters
- 3-6 p.m., Wednesday, May 10 at the Middendorf-Kredell Branch in O’Fallon
- 3-6 p.m., Wednesday, May 17 at the Corporate Parkway Branch in Wentzville
“The Assessor’s Office is always available to help answer questions, but I hope these opportunities help save property owners time to ask their specific questions and gain a better understanding of their property value,” Shipman says.
The Assessor is responsible for establishing the fair market value of both real estate and personal property within St. Charles County to assure taxes are distributed fairly among those responsible for payment. Real estate and personal property values are adjusted as necessary to reflect current market and economic conditions such as interest rates, inflation rates, supply and demand, and changes in tax laws. Political subdivisions, which include school, city and fire districts, establish property tax rates/levies based on budgetary requirements needed to appropriately fund services provided within their jurisdiction. The Collector of Revenue receives these rates annually by Oct. 31 and is charged with issuing property tax bills and the collection and disbursement of taxes to the political subdivisions.
For more information, visit sccmo.org/Assessor or call 636-949-7428.