Missouri's own State Tax Commission ruled twice that Assessor Jake Zimmerman violated homeowners' due process rights — skipping legally required inspections before raising assessed values. When he got caught, he used your tax dollars to fight the ruling instead of fixing the problem.
Missouri law is explicit about what an assessor must do before raising a home's value by more than 15%. These aren't suggestions — the State Tax Commission has ruled they are mandatory.
Establishes the physical inspection requirement for assessment increases above 15%.
Requires written notice to the property owner ahead of the increase.
Guarantees homeowners no less than 30 days to request an interior inspection.
Two separate, independent rulings from Missouri's own oversight authority found the same violations by the same assessor's office.
Found that the St. Louis County Assessor's office did not comply with the mandatory inspection and notice provisions of Missouri law.
Reached the same conclusion — the same missing inspections, the same missing notice, the same disregard for homeowners' rights.
These are not allegations. These are findings from Missouri's State Tax Commission.
The scale of non-compliant assessments makes clear this was not an oversight — it happened in every cycle for six years running.
For three straight cycles, Zimmerman raised home values beyond the 15% threshold without the legally required inspections. Tens of thousands of homeowners paid higher property taxes on assessments the law did not permit.
After two rulings found his office broke the law, Zimmerman's response wasn't correction — it was litigation.
Instead of correcting course, Jake Zimmerman directed public resources toward fighting the very rulings that exposed his conduct. That is not what public accountability looks like. St. Louis County homeowners deserve a leader who follows the law, respects their rights, and treats public funds as a public trust — not a litigation budget.
The facts are on record. The rulings are public. The numbers speak for themselves.