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On Tuesday, April 7, voters in St. Charles County are being asked to consider Proposition EMS - an initiative that would represent a transformational change in the way St. Charles County Ambulance District [SCCAD] is funded. The measure proposes a one percent sales tax on everyday purchases, and would require a reduction in real estate and personal property taxes based on the amount the sales tax brings in annually. If approved, the sales tax is expected to generate revenue sufficient for the Ambulance District to reduce its real estate and personal property general tax levy to $0.
Prop. EMS would also enable SCCAD to offer additional benefits to residents of the county:
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Elimination of Balance Billing - currently, patients are responsible for any portion of an ambulance bill that insurance does not cover. If Prop. EMS is successful, the District would submit the trip to insurance, but county residents would not be responsible for any uncovered portion.
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Debt Service Payments - like most publicly-funded entities, the Ambulance District periodically seeks approval on general obligation bonds to fund capital projects, and the debt service repayment rate is currently set at five cents. If Prop. EMS is successful, the District would fund the debt service repayment using sales tax funds, and intends to fund future capital needs (stations, ambulances, lifesaving equipment) without bond issuance.
The sales tax proposed by Proposition EMS would apply to purchases on everyday goods in St. Charles County made by residents and non-residents alike. There are a handful of items, however, that are exempt from local sales tax. These include:
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Fuel (gasoline and diesel)
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Utilities
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Medications
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Diapers
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Feminine Hygiene Products
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Q: Does this reduce property tax on both my home and my vehicles?
A: Yes - the required reduction applies to both real (home) and personal property (cars, boats, trailers, motorcycles, etc.). In addition, it should be noted that the reduction applies not only to residential real/personal property, but commercial and agricultural property as well. Sales tax is expected to generate funding sufficient to reduce the real and personal property tax levy to ZERO.
Q: How will funds from Prop EMS be utilized?
A: Funds from Proposition EMS would be used exactly as a replacement for the real/personal property tax monies the District currently receives. These funds provide revenue needed for District operations, including medical supplies, fuel, vehicle and facility maintenance, safety programs, salaries, and benefits for paramedic and professional staff.
If approved, funds generated by Prop EMS would also enable the District to continue enhancing lifesaving capabilities via new equipment and service lines. The District has a proven track record of improving patient outcomes through innovative initiatives like Mobile Integrated Health, Critical Care ground transport, and a pre-hospital blood component transfusion program for victims of serious hemorrhage.
Further, the measure's passage would provide financial relief for County residents beyond the required reduction in real/personal property taxes. Specifically, the District would eliminate the practice of balance billing and would fund future capital needs without the need for bond renewal.
Q: Does sales tax begin immediately?
A: No, the sales tax would not go into effect until later this year; the MO Department of Revenue would need time to update point of sale systems across the county. We anticipate that this would occur in October or November.
Q: When and how will my real estate and personal property taxes paid to the Ambulance District be reduced?
A: The full phase-out of real estate and personal property taxes collected by SCCAD will take about two years. The District sets its tax rate each September, and the property tax reduction is calculated based on the previous calendar year's sales tax receipts per state law. If the measure is approved, the next few years will look like this:
2026 - tax rate would remain unchanged from last year, as the District collected no sales tax in 2025
2027 - slight reduction in property taxes, as the District would receive sales tax revenue for a few weeks in November/December
2028 - real estate and personal property taxes fully reduced, as the District would have full year's sales tax receipts from calendar year 2027
Q: Will you have to come back for a tax increase in a few years?
A: No. If the measure is successful, it is projected that sales tax revenue generated by Prop. EMS will be a long-term, sustainable funding source for the Ambulance District, and will prevent the need for the District to seek voter approval on general tax levy increases or bond renewals moving forward.
Q: Is SCCAD only seeking approval on Prop EMS because of the proposed Prop RT initiative that is also on the ballot?
A: No. For about 25 years, the sales tax funding mechanism has been available to emergency service providers in 109 of Missouri's 114 counties. St. Charles, St. Louis, and a handful of others were carved out of legislation and were unable to present this question to voters until now. April 2026 was our first opportunity to present the option to our community.
Q: Would Proposition EMS enable SCCAD to add personnel, services, programs, etc.?
A: If approved, the measure is expected to generate more funding than real estate and personal property taxes currently provide. As ambulance call volume increases, the revenue would enable us to staff additional paramedic positions needed to keep response times short amid said growth and would allow for additions in professional staff needed to support the growing operation. We are continually exploring and evaluating new service lines in our community; funding generated by Proposition EMS would enable the District to allocate resources to programs that improve patient outcomes in our community.
Q: Will I pay more in taxes to SCCAD under the proposed sales tax model or under the current real estate/personal property tax setup?
A: There are a lot of variables that come into play - most notably home value, amount of personal property owned, and personal consumer spending habits. If we take the taxes paid on a median home value in St. Charles County (about $375k) and the average personal property assessment (just under $8k), we reach a total of $211.30 paid in real estate and personal property taxes to SCCAD. To reach the same amount of sales tax paid, a resident would need to spend $21,130 in sales tax-eligible items in our community.
Q: What happens if Prop EMS does not pass? Is my ambulance service at risk?
A: No. If the proposed sales tax does garner support, St. Charles County Ambulance District will continue to be funded in the same manner it has for 50 years - via a combination of real estate/personal property taxes and user fees for service. It is likely that the District would, in the future, ask voters to consider another general property tax levy and/or bond renewal to enable it to keep pace with growing demand for services.
Q: If sales tax brings in more than property tax, aren't residents ultimately paying more?
A: By shifting from property taxes to sales tax, it adds a significant layer of support from individuals who currently pay nothing to support emergency services in our community: non-resident consumers. There is a tremendous amount of non-resident commerce that occurs in our community every day - some from tourism, conventions, and youth sports tournaments, but also via those simply passing through. In addition, some areas of our county see substantial traffic from residents of neighboring counties who shop in our community because we have dining and retail options that they do not have in their community. Under the proposed sales tax system, each of these non-resident purchases would support the work that SCCAD does in our community.
