SB 843: Centralizing Land Bank Control
Sponsor: Lincoln Hough
OPPOSE
Centralizes power; removes local checks.
SB 843 amends §140.982 to change how county land bank boards are appointed. It wipes out the current shared structure—which includes municipal and resident representatives—and replaces it with a rule where all seven board members are appointed solely by the county executive. This centralizes control over a powerful quasi-governmental entity, raising serious concerns about property rights and cronyism.
What Does This Bill Do?
- Total Executive Control: Wipes out the shared appointment structure, allowing the county executive to appoint all seven board members personally.
- Eliminates Local Representation: Removes requirements for district-based seats, municipal league input, and resident representatives from affected neighborhoods.
- Removes Council Oversight: Deletes the safety valve that allowed the county council to fill board vacancies if the executive failed to act.
Constitutional or Critical Context
Land banks are already unelected boards with significant authority over tax-delinquent property. Current law disperses appointment power to ensure neighborhood input. SB 843 destroys this balance, handing the entire board to the county executive. This consolidation of power invites cronyism and reduces accountability to the families living near these properties.
Red Flags & Recommended Amendments
Centralization of Power
Handing all seven appointments to a single politician destroys the existing checks and balances that protect against political patronage.
Loss of Neighborhood Voice
By removing resident representatives and district-specific seats, the bill shuts out the people actually living in the areas most affected by land bank decisions.
Act for Missouri Recommendation:
Act for Missouri opposes SB 843. It takes an already troubling system—unelected land banks—and makes it worse by removing community safeguards. Centralizing control in the county executive's office increases the risk of insider deals and ignores the property rights of local citizens. We recommend a "NO" vote.