St. Louis residents voted on Proposition P today, a city tax increase to pay for Gateway Memorial Arch improvements.
Small business owners in the city are concerned the new tax will drive business out of the city.
Today opponents of the new tax are discussing a possible legal challenge.
The language on the ballot was misleading.
CBS Local reported:
Opponents of the proposed Arch Tax in St. Louis City and County are discussing a possible legal challenge, because they say the ballot language falsely implies St. Charles County could share in the burden.
If approved by voters in both the city and county, Proposition P would impose a sales tax of 3/16 of one cent — excluding food and prescription drugs. Supporters say it would raise $780 million over 20 years for improvement of the Arch grounds and other area parks.
Opponent Jennifer Bird with the group Vote No on Prop P says the ballot language is misleading.
“You have a situation that the ballot language mentions three entities — St. Louis City, County and St. Charles County. If you’re not sure you’re for or against it, you see there’s a shared burden. But it’s really just two entities, not three.”
At issue is a phrase on the ballot that says: “…shall the City of St. Louis join such other of the counties of St. Louis and St. Charles to impose a three-sixteenths of one cent sales tax…”
The St. Charles County Council strongly opposed the Arch Tax proposal and refused to put it on the ballot.
St. Louis County Director of Elections Rita Days was asked if the ballot language as it reads is misleading.