St. Louis County Transit Sales Tax Measure (April 2010)

There was a St. Louis County Transit Sales Tax Measure on the April 6 ballot in St. Louis County.

This measure was approved

• YES 94,801 (62.915)a
• NO 55,883 (37.09%)

The purpose of this measure was to help fund the county metro system. In addition to helping fund the metro system that was in use at the time, it was also designed to help with expansion programs and the reopening of areas that were shut down in March due to insufficient funding. On November 2008 a similar proposition was put to a vote, but residents rejected it. The county received some state money to help with the metro fund, but officials estimated that would run out in August of 2010. In order for this to get to a vote, it first needed to pass through the city council. If passed this tax would generate approximately $80 million a year for the metro fund.

Metro officials argued that without this measure there would not be sufficient state money to ensure funding so service would likely be cut in many areas. Supporters argued that many people still depended on the Metro system, and officials hoped that this would help persuade voters to vote in favor of the tax increase. Another tax proposal would not have been allowed to go before voters for several years if this measure had been defeated. County officials also stated that the public transportation system was important to residents, especially because of the jobs it allowed and the access to transportation for those without other means. County officials also linked economic growth with a strong public transportation system.

Support

A coalition of supporters was set up to help with campaigning so that this measure would have a better chance of passing than the previous one. Their main idea was that the metro was a vital part of St. Louis and they argued that many residents, including University students and office workers among them, depended on it. Voter turn out is usually low during mid-year elections, but the coalition hoped to target college campuses to get those votes. Supporters estimated that around 10,000 people would have lost access to public transportation and around 600 workers would have been out of a job if this measure had not been approved.

A group called Advance St. Louis was also formed to campaign in support of this measure. The group collected around $22,000. Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton was the head of the steering committee that was set to help this organization, along with other major business leaders in the area. Together they hoped to be able to show the public the need for the metro system. A group called Transit Alliance also campaigned for this measure to be approved.

The Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis also came out in support of this measure, and the METRO system, in a recent newsletter published by the community, strongly encouraged its readers and supporters to vote yes on this measure. Metro officials saw the metro system as an integral part of the community and vital to the well being of all concerned. They also noted that management of the system had been changed so concerns about misuse of funds were no longer founded.

Local college students also came out in favor of this measure, hoping that the metro system would lend to more access to the local universities and encourage more international students to come to the city.

The group Citizens for Modern Transit raised nearly $400,000 towards advertising and promoting this measure for approval. The group Advance St. Louis also had been strong in its campaign for the measure, noting that the passing of this tax was the only way to modernize and keep St. Louis competitive.

The archbishop of St. Louis also came out in favor of this measure, arguing that the public transportation system was very important to the elderly, the disabled, and working poor. He noted that the massive cuts of last year should not be allowed to get worse with further funding cuts and states that it is the duty of residents to vote in favor to help the community.

Opponents

Opponents argued that the measure was just a wish list put together by the transit authority and that, since there was no price set on each plan, a yes vote would give officials free rein to do whatever they wanted with the proposed money. Opponents also noted that, if the referendum had been defeated, Metro would have been forced to change and would make the system better because they would have been forced to work with less. Opponents also noted that this increase to the Metro budget would only be a minor fix and would not address the underlying problems with the system. They also believed that the measure was not the right way to fix the problems.

Additional reading

• St. Louis County voters pass transit tax
• Attention, commuters: Here's what passage of Metro transit tax means for you
• Voters approve Metro tax
• St. Louis Today, "Yes on Prop A," March 25, 2010 (dead link)
• St. Louis Today, "No on Prop A," March 25, 2010 (dead link)
• Student Life, "Wrighton urges WU community to vote for Prop A," March 24, 2010