Local business owners and politicians are working to bring tax breaks to those seeking to rebuild in the wake of last year’s destructive riots in Ferguson, Missouri.
St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger proposed a plan to help locals rebuild from riots that plagued the city when protests exploded several times since August after a police officer shot and killed an unarmed 18-year-old strong-arm robbery suspect.
Under the proposal, residents and business owners would receive a waiver for any late payments on their 2014 property taxes.
“I think there will be people struggling to pay their taxes because the decrease in business, the damage to their property,” St. Louis County Revenue Director Greg Quinn said.
But some local business have been complaining that, thus far, they have gotten little help from the government, and two months after the last riots ended, the business sector in Ferguson and nearby Dellwood are still struggling to rebuild.
“The healing process really hasn’t begun,” tire shop owner John Zisser said. “The county has done really nothing to expedite the demolition,” he added.
Now officials are getting around to making proposals to help.
St. Louis County officials are also proposing that residents be given a reassessment on their property taxes for 2015 to lower their expenses.
Finally, officials intend to set up a new government office to be called the Office of Community Development to help citizens learn of the new policies as they rebuild.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.