Franklin County voters head to the polls on April 7 to decide whether to put a lid on many homeowners' property tax bills at their 2024 levels. The countywide question, Proposition T, is part of a statewide package lawmakers pushed through last year that forces dozens of counties to ask voters this spring about some form of tax cap or freeze. Backers cast it as a long-awaited shield for long-time homeowners facing climbing bills, while school boards and other local officials warn it could squeeze funding for classrooms and emergency services.
What Proposition T Would Do
On the ballot, Proposition T asks whether Franklin County should "implement a tax credit program whereby the effective real property tax liability on an eligible taxpayer's homestead shall not be increased above the liability incurred during the initial credit year," according to Franklin County. In practice, local coverage has described it as an effective freeze on what many long-time homeowners pay, as reported by the Washington Missourian. The county lists the measure as a simple-majority question on the April 7 municipal ballot.
Where the Measure Comes From
Proposition T traces back to Senate Bill 3, passed in a 2025 special session, which added Section 137.1120 to state law and ordered eligible counties to place a property tax credit question on the April 2026 municipal ballot. The statute sets 2024 as the "initial credit year" and sorts counties into categories, including "zero-percent" counties where an eligible homeowner's liability "shall not be increased" above that initial year and "five-percent" counties that allow limited annual increases. Those rules, along with the April ballot deadline, are laid out in the text of Senate Bill 3.
Legal Challenge and Local Pushback
The property tax framework in SB 3 has already landed in court. An early lawsuit by two state lawmakers and an activist sought to block portions of the law, and several school districts - including Grandview R-2 and Meramec Valley R-III - later joined litigation arguing the statute arbitrarily splits counties into different categories and endangers local revenue, according to reporting by KSHB and MyLeaderPaper. Plaintiffs contend the law treats counties differently without a solid justification and argue that the potential funding hit is serious enough to warrant judicial review. The legal fight could continue even after Franklin County voters make their choice.
Local Stakes and What to Watch
If voters approve Proposition T, Franklin County would be authorized to grant tax credits that cap an eligible homeowner's property tax liability at the 2024 level. The statute, however, allows increases tied to voter-approved levies or to improvements made to a home. Lawmakers' fiscal analysis warned of possible revenue losses for retirement funds, school districts, and other political subdivisions, with the fiscal note indicating that the effects could begin to show up in fiscal 2027. Voters who want to read the full ballot wording or look up where to vote can visit the county's election information and review the sample ballot and polling locations on the Franklin County website.
