Assessment Notices for Wentzville Residents to be Mailed in April

Wentzville and Lake Saint Louis residents can expect to see real estate assessment notices coming in the mail in the next few weeks.

According to a press release from the St. Charles County Assessor's Office, taxpayers who are in the Wentzville School District can expect notices to be mailed on or about April 12.

St. Charles County Assessor Scott Shipman told Patch that in St. Charles County, assessments are down 4 percent. He stressed that number is an overall loss in value for the county, and does not necessarily apply to individual properties.

State law requires re-assessment on Jan. 1 of every odd-numbered year, so this year's notices reflect any change in property value since Jan. 1, 2011. According to the release, the new notices are "designed to be easier to read and include information on property tax relief and the appeal process, as well as answers to frequently asked questions."

Any taxpayer with objections to the assessment can schedule an informal hearing, but they must do it within 10 days of the mailed date on the notice. To do so, taxpayers can call (636) 949-7431 or 1-800-822-4012, ext. 7431, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Hearings will be conducted Monday through Thursday at 201 North Second Street in St. Charles.

The Assessor’s Office is responsible for establishing the fair market value of all property within St. Charles County as of Jan. 1. This assures the tax burden is distributed fairly among those responsible for payment. The taxing authorities, which include school, city and fire districts, will establish the tax rate based on the budgetary requirements needed to appropriately fund the services provided within their jurisdiction.