City earnings tax easily wins reapproval

St. Louis voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly supported renewal of the 1% earnings tax, a major source of city funding which currently accounts for almost 36% of St. Louis’ general revenue.

 Proposition E’s renewal garnered 22,772 votes (85%), with 4,903 residents (15%) voting no.  Only 26,876 (13.7%) of the city’s 196,299 registered voters cast ballots.

The tax applies to anyone who lives or works in the city and funds essential services including police, fire protection, street maintenance and day-to-day city operations.

A “no” outcome would not have immediately eliminated the tax but instead would have triggered a gradual phase-out over the next decade—potentially reshaping the city’s financial landscape.

The earnings tax was last approved in 2021 with nearly 79% of the vote, reflecting broad support at the time. Since then, city leaders and stakeholders have continued to emphasize its role in maintaining core services.

Supporters of the measure have rallied in recent weeks, including a kickoff event that brought together elected officials, labor leaders, and representatives from police and fire departments. The issue has emerged as a rare point of alignment between Mayor Cara Spencer and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, despite ongoing tensions over a $250 million budget proposal from the state-appointed board overseeing the department.

As voters cast their ballots, some residents said the measure directly affects the fabric of the city’s cultural and civic life.

De’Joneiro Jones, a local artist who has lived downtown for more than 20 years, supported Proposition E, citing its impact on not only St. Louis but the entire region.

“I know how critical that money is,” Jones said. “It helps our ecosystem.”

Jones also noted the importance of civic participation, particularly among younger voters.

“You can’t really say you’re an American if you don’t exercise your right to vote,” he said.

“My ancestors sacrificed their lives so that the next generation has the right to vote. We have to be a part of the process. We need to be at the table.”

Others expressed frustration and skepticism about how decisions are made at City Hall.

Willie Howard, a north St. Louis resident, said he believes economic interests often outweigh community concerns.

“Those in power are after the mighty dollar,” Howard said. “I want to be able to live a healthy and safe life.”

Howard added that he feels the concerns of Black residents in St. Louis are often overlooked and worries that younger generations are becoming disengaged from the political process.

“When I was growing up we had current events. Our teachers talked to us about what was going on in our city and asked us how we would make things better if given the chance,” he said. “These youngsters need to make their voices be heard.”

Ferguson Florissant says yes to Prop S

Ferguson Florissant voters approved Proposition S, raising the Ferguson-Florissant School District’s operating levy by 48 cents for spending related to security and staffing. For a home valued at $100,000, taxes will increase by $91 annually.

The proposition needed a simple majority to pass and received 59.2% of the vote.

The tax increase will be used to hire additional staff to manage documentation requests related to the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. The federal law compensates people who developed certain cancers and other diseases, or their survivors, if they were exposed to radiation from the U.S. nuclear weapons program.

St. Charles County voters keep property tax

St. Charles County, where voter turnout was the highest in the St. Louis region, saw voters say no to a proposed property tax freeze by a wide margin.

In the Francis Howell School District, voters resoundingly defeated a slate of conservative candidates for school board.

Proposition RT, a proposal to suspend personal property tax in the county, was rejected by a tally of 59% to 41%.

“The rejection of Prop RT places such a high value on our public investment in our services and our schools and our libraries, and it makes me so proud to be a St. Charles resident,” Kevin McGuire, a successful candidate for Francis Howell School Board, told Jason Rosenbaum of St. Louis Public Radio.

The culture wars, book censoring, and attacks on Black culture and history could be coming to an end in the Francis Howell District.

McGuire, Sara Dillard, and Jason Adams won the open school board seats over incumbent conservative candidates Jane Puszkar, David Jaworski, and Lauren Greenwood.

“I’m just so excited that our community has decided to finally put the hate and the divisiveness that has existed on our board to rest so we can concentrate on the serious matters instead of the manufactured noise that’s taken place over the last few years,” Adams told STLPR on Tuesday night.

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