Voters overwhelmingly approve historic tax decrease

A real-life taxpayer revolution took place on April 7 in South St. Louis County. Voters in the Mehlville Fire Protection District went to the polls and overwhelmingly approved a tax decrease—likely the first of its kind in Missouri history.

The effort began three years ago, when the board attempted to place a tax decrease proposal on the ballot; however, a judge ruled that voters did not have the legal authority to lower taxes. So the Missouri General Assembly responded, passing a law ensuring that voters had the option to reduce their taxes. The fire district acted again, and when the votes were counted, the tax decrease passed with nearly 80% of the vote.

The Missouri Republican Party commends the Mehlville Fire Protection District’s Board of Directors for their responsible use of taxpayer money and for their resolve in fighting the groups that sought to prevent the vote from ever occurring.

Read more in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch