Ritenour Board of Education Sets 2026 Tax Rates

The Ritenour Board of Education set the district’s new tax rate at a special meeting on Sept. 22, 2026. The district decreased the residential real estate rate by 2 cents per $100 of assessed value and increased the commercial real estate rate by about 8 cents (7.6 cents). The district’s personal property tax rate remains unchanged from the previous year.

The 2026 tax rates, which include debt service to retire bonds, are listed below:

Tax rates are per $100 of assessed value.

The Missouri State Auditor’s Office reviews and monitors all tax rates before they can be set to ensure districts are in compliance with all state laws. Ritenour sets its tax rates to help produce the revenues required to sustain the schools within the district for the current school year, meet principal and interest payments on the bonded debt of the district, and provide the funds to meet other student and school needs. Revenue is budgeted assuming a 94% collection rate of taxes.

St. Louis County reassesses property values every two years, and 2026 is not a reassessment year.

“It’s important that our taxpayers know how grateful we are for their continued financial support of our school district and the work we do,” said Chief Financial Officer Dr. Phil Pusateri. “We recognize that our local taxpayers provide the largest single revenue stream for our district budget, and we make it a priority to be good stewards of the funds we receive to ensure our students have the teachers, buildings and educational resources they need to learn at high levels.”

Ritenour has received national awards for its budgeting and financial management practices. For 25 of the past 26 years, Ritenour has received the Meritorious Budget Award for excellence in the preparation and management of its annual budget.