Property tax hikes pass in 4 area fire districts

Nov. 09--Property tax increases passed Tuesday in four area fire protection districts and St. Ann and Creve Coeur even while countywide property tax hikes for senior services were turned down in St. Louis and St. Charles counties.

Those were among a mixed bag of results on ballot issues across the metropolitan area.

Each fire protection measure -- in the Community and West Overland districts in St. Louis County and the O'Fallon and Central County Fire and Rescue districts in St. Charles County -- pulled in more than 60 percent support even though they needed only a simple majority to pass.

The O'Fallon and Central County plans each will boost the property tax by 25 cents per $100 assessed valuation.

Both agencies said a key goal is to provide firefighters with paramedic training on each fire crew that is dispatched.

The O'Fallon district plans to hire 12 additional firefighter-paramedics and Central County officials haven't said how many new positions will be created.

In St. Louis County, the Community district won approval of a 50-cent property tax hike to hire more personnel to meet increased call volume, buy new equipment and supplies and handle ongoing costs.

The 15-cent West Overland measure is to boost funding of the district's pension plan and to set up a health insurance plan for retirees.

The Creve Coeur and St. Ann property tax hikes were both tied to bond issues that required and received at least four-sevenths majorities.

Creve Coeur plans to borrow $10.69 million to build a new police headquarters while St. Ann will borrow $7.5 million to pay for capital improvements to its various parks and recreation facilities.

The defeated countywide 5-cent property tax increases for senior programs in St. Louis and St. Charles counties would have provided money for efforts to help older adults stay in their own homes as long as possible.

Meanwhile, St. Louis voters approved a similar 5-cent proposal for senior services. A local board will decide how the revenue will be distributed for transportation, health, meals and other programs.

Overland and Vinita Park both won approval of half-cent sales tax increases for parks services but a similar plan was rejected in Uplands Park. Velda City and Bel-Ridge voters, meanwhile, rejected proposed increases in utility taxes.

Voters in Vinita Park and neighboring Vinita Terrace each approved a merger plan.

The Affton School District won approval of two property tax hikes -- including one tied to a bond issue. But property tax increases were defeated in the Francis Howell, Dunklin and Wright City school districts.

Election 2016 from St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Stay in the race. Get our free political newsletter featuring local and national updates and analysis.

1 html subscribe St. Louis Post Dispatch ArticleFooter CST http://www.stltoday.com/online/newsletter-sign-up-successful/html_0e8b8a44-67bb-11e6-8836-bbd0e8603db4.html [email protected]

This field is required. Sign Up!

D98A625593049BD28FEE2C48790D7FB2

leave this blank

Mark Schlinkmann --314-340-8265

@mschlinkmann on Twitter

[email protected]

___

(c)2016 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Visit the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at www.stltoday.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.