In Missouri, Software ‘Bug’ Leads to Tax Deadline Extension

(TNS) — St. Charles County has extended the deadline for its senior property tax freeze after reporting a ‘bug’ had caused computer problems in the county.

The original deadline was June 30. Residents now have until July 6 to sign-up or renew.

County Collector Michelle McBride said the extension was necessary after a software ‘bug’ from a third-party vendor caused the online sign-up portal to crash 10 days ago. The website stayed offline until this past Wednesday.

“I just feel like it is the right thing to do, to give people more time to apply,” McBride told the Post-Dispatch.

She said no personal information was released as a result of the malfunction.

To receive the tax freeze, residents need to provide proof of property ownership, that the property is their primary residence and that they are at least 62 years old.

McBride said residents could still submit paper applications during the outage, but she knows many residents prefer to use the online portal.

The extension covers applications submitted online, through the mail and in-person, McBride said.

She said a relatively small number of people were likely impacted by the outage.

The county’s senior property tax freeze program, which was approved in March 2023, has 33,000 participants, including 1,500 first-time participants. More than 28,000 individuals had already submitted their renewal form or their application for the tax freeze prior to the outage.

Residents must reapply every year for the tax freeze program, though that could change: The County Council is considering removing the yearly renewal requirement.

McBride said she supports the proposed change.

“The main reason the renewal process was put in place, and rightfully so, was that it was a brand-new program,” McBride said. “We were going from ground zero, and we wanted to make sure there was minimal ability for fraud.”

The renewal process is no longer needed, McBride said.

Moreover, she said, it has created “unnecessary administrative burdens” for St. Charles County seniors.

Plus, she said, the county has new technology tools through the county assessor’s office that automatically notify the collector’s staff of property ownership changes. And the State’s Bureau of Vital Records, which issues death certificates, has agreed to alert the collector’s office when a death certificate is issued for a resident over the age of 62 in St. Charles County.

“With the resources and tools that we have, and the experience that we’ve had with this program, we feel it is time to eliminate this headache for the seniors,” McBride said.

Per the draft proposal, participants enrolled in the program would remain enrolled unless ownership of the property changes, the property no longer qualifies as their primary residence, or the person no longer meets eligibility requirements. A person could also be removed from the program if the county collector’s office requests updated documentation and does not receive it in a timely manner, McBride said.

“We will retain the right to audit the program, verifying that there isn’t fraud happening,” McBride said.

The Council is expected to vote July 13 on eliminating the renewal requirement, which would take effect in 2027.

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