Politics & Government

Alderman Alleges Board Member Isn't Eligible for Election

Ballwin Alderman Ron Markland says a fellow board member's property tax payments should disqualify him from election.

Ballwin Alderman Ron Markland says fellow board member James Terbrock made late property tax payments this year, which Markland said means Terbrock should be ineligible for Tuesday's election.

Markland said that on Jan. 14, Terbrock filed as a candidate for alderman, which required him to declare that he was up to date on tax payments. Markland said that at that time, however, Terbrock was “delinquent” on his 2009 and 2010 property taxes.

“And unfortunately, I thought it had been paid a few days earlier than the filing date, knowing it would be an issue,” Terbrock said. “So quite frankly, it was kind of a stupid thing on my part.”

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Markland called the action “openly disingenuous” and said Terbrock should step down before Tuesday’s election because of it.

"Here we have a standing alderman who is making decisions on what the taxpayers of Ballwin might have to pay in taxes, and they themselves are not paying what is due on a timely basis," Markland said in an email. "I am appalled by this disclosure."

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However, Terbrock said the claim on candidates’ filing papers that he or she is up to date on taxes refers to taxes collected by the government body the candidate is seeking election to. Specifically, the filing has the candidate declare he or she is not "in arrears for any unpaid city taxes or municipal user fees."

Because the taxes were collected by St. Louis County and not the City of Ballwin, they have no legal bearing on his eligibility for alderman, Terbrock said.

“So it really can be held true that those apply [only to taxes] to the City of the Ballwin.”

Charles McCloskey, who will as a write-in candidate on Tuesday, circulated an email this week calling for a "town hall meeting" Saturday night in order to further examine candidates' tax records.

"In reviewing the tax records, it was found that it appears to be [sic] a fairly common practice for elected officials of Ballwin to be late in their payment of taxes," the email said. "To list all instances is not relevant to this discussion. However, it would be worthy for the citizens to be made aware of those that did not feel it necessary for a timely payment of their taxes over the last several years."

McCloskey said the meeting will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 2 at at the club house of Seven Trails Apartments at 500 7-Trails Drive in Ballwin. The public is welcome to attend.


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