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ST. LOUIS — City officials will continue to restrict the senior citizen property tax freeze despite a new state law that sponsors say prohibits limits.

Mayor Tishaura O. Jones has “confidence in our ability to withstand legal challenges” to the city’s version of the tax break after City Counselor Sheena Hamilton’s office issued a legal opinion, said Conner Kerrigan, the mayor’s spokesman.

The city’s freeze is only to the city government’s portion of property tax bills — roughly 20% of the total — and only for homes appraised at $500,000 or less.

Kerrigan wouldn’t release the legal opinion, which was requested by Alderman Michael Browning, who sponsored a bill updating the city program. The bill passed, 14-0, on Nov. 1.

Browning in September asked for the legal analysis in light of criticism by two state legislators who said the city’s plan to continue limiting the value of affected homes would violate the new state law.

In contrast, ӣ����Ƶ County and Jackson County, the main county in the Kansas City area, removed their $550,000 home value caps following the passage of the new state law.

The two state lawmakers — Rep. Ben Keathley, R-Chesterfield, and Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville — also disputed the legality of the city’s decision to limit the portion of overall property tax bills affected by the freeze.

The new state law revised a 2023 state statute that allowed counties and ӣ����Ƶ to set up tax-freeze programs.

The two lawmakers argue that the city’s program violates a state ban on localities restricting “the definition or scope” of who qualifies for the tax break and the amount of the tax break.

Dennis Ganahl, with MO Tax Relief Now — a group that advocated for the tax freezes — takes the same position.

ӣ����Ƶ officials disagree.

Browning’s bill does bring the city program in line with other changes in the state law made this year by the Legislature.

In one example, eligibility was changed to homeowners 62 and older. Under the original state law, the freeze was limited to homeowner taxpayers eligible for Social Security benefits, possibly excluding some seniors who don’t participate in Social Security such as public school teachers.