St. Clair County board to vote on property tax abatement

The St. Clair County Board on Monday is scheduled to vote on its annual property tax abatement.

How the abatement would affect people’s property tax bills was not immediately available.

The County Board in October requested to collect $64.8 million in property taxes. However, the county plans to abate $26.9 million of the amount, and will only collect about $37.8 million in property taxes, if the abatement is approved, according to county documents.

In other action

▪  Frank Scott Parkway planning: County Board members are scheduled to vote on an agreement with Oates Associates, of Collinsville, to prepare construction plans, and cost estimates for the widening of Frank Scott Parkway to four lanes from Old Collinsville Road to North Green Mount Road.

The planning and design work, including environmental studies and right-of-way work, is slated to cost about $432,000, highway department officials have said.

▪  Airport workers union deal: The County Board is scheduled to vote on a union deal with District 9 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers that has six positions at MidAmerica Airport.

There are positions for six maintenance workers at the airport, but not all are filled because of budgetary constraints, Airport Director Tim Cantwell has said.

The proposed contract is for four years. It includes 1.5 percent wage increases for the first three years of the deal, and 2 percent for the fourth year.

There also is a $20 increase for a work boot allowance, and pay for inexperienced entry level workers, will start at 60 percent of the base wage rate for the job. The rate will increase as they continue with their employment.

Public Building commissioners on Thursday approved the deal.

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This story was originally published April 24, 2017 at 9:20 AM with the headline "St. Clair County board to vote on property tax abatement."