Connect with us

News from the South - Missouri News Feed

GOP legislator pushes tax hike on Missouri farmland used for renewable energy

Published

on

missouriindependent.com – Jana Rose Schleis – 2025-02-14 10:32:00

GOP legislator pushes tax hike on Missouri farmland used for renewable energy

by Jana Rose Schleis, Missouri Independent
February 14, 2025

A Republican lawmaker is proposing to raise taxes on Missouri farmers who participate in wind or solar energy projects.

As utilities and energy developers increase solar and wind power, people in rural areas across the nation have been offered opportunities to lease their land to house a wind turbine or a field of solar panels.

A bill proposed by Rep. Danny Busick, a Newtown Republican, would change the tax rate for agricultural land that is leased for solar or wind energy generation by reassessing it as commercial property.

Busick’s district covers Kirksville and north central Missouri. His bill would nearly triple the assessment rate for agricultural land that hosts energy infrastructure.

“It is a tax increase,” Busick said, “but I think it is designed to try to be fair to the players in this game.”

According to the legislative research division, agricultural land is currently assessed at 12% of its value. Utility, industrial and commercial land is assessed at 32%. These baseline figures are then multiplied by the local county tax rate to determine a property tax bill.

In a hearing this week, Busick said farmers who participate in renewable energy projects shouldn’t be charged as if their land is only for agriculture.

“My purpose is not to attack farmers,” he said, “but when you repurpose your land for another purpose outside of agriculture, I think you should pay your fair share in that sense.”

Busick said the bill would exclude land where corn or soybeans is cultivated for biofuel production.

Scott Swain represents the Clean Grid Alliance, an advocacy group, and spoke in opposition to the bill. He said large-scale wind and solar power plants are an essential part of the state’s future energy generation.

“They’re putting a lot of money into communities and so we don’t want to necessarily tax them out,” Swain said. “If we do want to tax them out, then we need to raise the tax and nobody will come to the state, and that will probably settle a lot of concerns. I don’t think that’s where we want to go.”

This story originally appeared in the Columbia Missourian. It can be republished in print or online. 

Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: info@missouriindependent.com.

News from the South - Missouri News Feed

Detectives warn elderly residents of scams

Published

on

www.youtube.com – FOX 2 St. Louis – 2025-06-18 22:46:12

SUMMARY: A town hall in Ballwin, Missouri, hosted by Councilman Mark Carter, brought together three local police detectives to educate the public—especially seniors—on avoiding scams. The event focused on online, phone, and in-person scams, emphasizing how scammers are becoming more sophisticated, often using AI. Victims shared experiences, including postal service fraud, stressing that all age groups are at risk. Key advice included: never give out personal information, be skeptical of unsolicited requests, and trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, disengage. Police urged victims to contact their banks immediately, reinforcing that awareness is the first line of defense.

A warning tonight from police: scammers are getting more sophisticated and are even using AI trick elderly people into sharing sensitive information.

St. Louis News: FOX 2 covers news, weather, and sports in Missouri and Illinois. Read more about this story or see the latest updates on our website https://FOX2Now.com

Follow FOX 2 on social media:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/FOX2Now
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FOX2Now/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FOX2Now/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fox2now/
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@fox2now
SnapChat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/fox2now

Source

Continue Reading

News from the South - Missouri News Feed

Are you a St. Louis native if you were born or raised in the suburbs?

Published

on

fox2now.com – Joey Schneider – 2025-06-18 16:04:00

SUMMARY: The identity debate around being “from St. Louis” often hinges on geography, history, and local culture. Though nearly 3 million people live in the Greater St. Louis Metropolitan Area—covering parts of 16 counties in Missouri and Illinois—residents differ on what qualifies as being a true “St. Louisan.” While many say “St. Louis” to outsiders, locals tend to name specific suburbs or municipalities. Reddit discussions reveal ongoing tension between City and County residents, especially since the 1876 split. Definitions vary—some say birthplace within city limits is key, while others argue regional ties matter most. Ultimately, identity remains deeply personal and varied.

Read the full article

The post Are you a St. Louis native if you were born or raised in the suburbs? appeared first on fox2now.com

Continue Reading

News from the South - Missouri News Feed

STL Co. leader requests to put millions toward animal shelter met with pushback

Published

on

fox2now.com – Max Diekneite – 2025-06-17 22:58:00

SUMMARY: St. Louis County Executive Sam Page requested over \$20 million from the Rams settlement fund to improve the county’s troubled animal shelter. His proposals—\$3 million on June 6 and \$17.8 million on June 13—target outdated infrastructure and aim to help the shelter regain state licensing. However, the county council delayed action, with Councilman Michael Archer opposing the funding, citing mismanagement and recent failures, including a parvovirus outbreak that killed 19 dogs. Archer advocates transferring operations to private organizations. A June 26 Committee of the Whole meeting will further examine the shelter’s issues amid resident concerns over using settlement funds this way.

Read the full article

The post STL Co. leader requests to put millions toward animal shelter met with pushback appeared first on fox2now.com

Continue Reading

Trending