By: Brian Evans

In Missouri, owning a home is becoming less about security and more about uncertainty. Every odd-numbered year, homeowners across the state brace themselves—not for a natural disaster, but for something equally disruptive: surprise property tax hikes.

This isn’t because they remodeled their kitchen, added a room, or increased the value of their home through improvements. It’s because of market-driven reassessments—mandated not by voters or legislators, but by a three-person, unelected Missouri Tax Commission.

That’s right: three bureaucrats who don’t answer to you can raise your taxes without your consent. In fact, they’ve already done so in Jasper, Newton, and over 80 counties in Missouri in 2025 alone. Thousands of families—especially seniors and those on fixed incomes—are now at risk of being taxed out of homes they’ve lived in for decades. That’s not just unfair—it’s un-American.

The Problem: Government Overreach, Market Volatility, and a Broken System
Currently, Missouri law allows property taxes to spike simply because nearby homes sell for more. If your neighbor sells high, your assessed value might soar—even if you’ve done nothing to your own property. This creates a system where you can’t budget for your taxes, making homeownership insecure and unaffordable.

Even worse, there is no requirement for legislative oversight or voter approval. That means families are forced to accept annual tax increases that were never debated, never explained, and never approved by the people affected.
This is a fundamental violation of property rights. If your taxes can increase arbitrarily, do you really own your home—or are you just renting it from the government?

We already recognize this danger for our seniors, who can qualify for property tax freezes. That policy protects them from being taxed out of their homes—and it works. So why not apply that same protection to every Missouri homeowner?

The Solution: A Simple, Conservative Reform:

I am proposing four key reforms:

  1. Lock in property tax assessments at the time of purchase, just like a fixed rate mortgage.
  2. Only reassess when a home is sold or significantly improved, or homeowner files for reassessment (like a refinance), not just because the market fluctuates.
  3. Restructure or replace the Missouri Tax Commission, ensuring they are accountable to the citizens they impact.
  4. Require legislative approval for countywide or statewide reassessment mandates, restoring democratic control over tax policy.

Predictability Promotes Growth—and Growth Fuels Revenue

In today’s unpredictable economy, people are fleeing high-tax, high-volatility states in search of affordability and stability. Missouri has an incredible opportunity: become a destination for families, retirees, and businesses who are looking to plant roots in a state that respects their financial security.

Families want to know they won’t be priced out of their homes years after they buy them.

Retirees want to settle in states where their fixed income won’t be eaten up by shifting tax burdens.
Businesses want long-term certainty so they can budget, hire, and grow without the fear of surprise tax bills on their property and equipment.

States like Florida and Texas have seen an influx of residents and companies—not because they’re warmer, but because their tax laws are clear, consistent, and fair.
If Missouri locks in property tax assessments, we send a powerful message:
This is a state where ownership is respected, freedom is protected, and success is welcomed.
This attracts new residents, strengthens communities, and grows the overall tax base—not through higher rates, but through increased participation and economic activity.

Other States Have Already Shown the Way
Missouri doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel. States across the country have implemented property tax reform with resounding success:

Georgia (2024): Capped assessment increases to inflation, protecting taxpayers from sudden spikes.

Florida: Indexed homestead exemptions to inflation for more predictable tax planning.

Tennessee & New Jersey: Froze property taxes for seniors and the disabled, helping them stay in their homes.

These reforms have created stable budgets for families and predictable revenues for governments. They insulate localities from housing market bubbles while preventing tax shocks that hurt the economy, and if Missouri implements the proposed policies aforementioned, it will put Missouri on the map as the state who respects its residents and businesses property rights, with laws that reflect those values more than any other state in the union!

The Conservative Case:

Property Rights, Fiscal Restraint, and Limited Government
PragerU—a leading voice for conservative, pro-liberty ideas—made a strong philosophical case for property tax reform:
“Government doesn’t make money—it takes yours.” Reassessments are a backdoor tax hike on hardworking families.
“Lower taxes grow the economy.” When people keep more of their income, they invest, hire, and spend locally.

“You don’t really own your home if the government can take it away.” Unchecked tax increases erode true ownership and financial freedom.

“Free markets and limited government work.” Cities must learn to budget wisely, rather than taxing their way out of financial mismanagement.
These are not radical ideas—they are foundational principles of American government: accountability, limited power, and protection of private property.

It’s Time for Missouri to Lead
No homeowner should live in fear of losing their house because of a tax bill they couldn’t anticipate and didn’t agree to. Freezing property tax assessments at the time of purchase, with reassessment only upon sale or major improvements, brings clarity, fairness, and predictability to the system.

This isn’t just good policy—it’s good governance.
Let’s restore trust in our tax system. Let’s respect property rights. Let’s stand with Missouri families, not against them.