By Maria Hickey, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – Earlier this year, in April, St. Louis voters rejected the city's request to raise business license fees. But the issue hasn't gone away; city residents will see the same question in Tuesday's primary election.
The business license fee has not increased since 1988, when it first went into effect.
Ald. Stephen Conway says the proposed increase would generate about $4 million a year for city coffers.
He says voters are more likely to pass the measure this time, since they know what the money will be used for. "The mayor's office has gone ahead and decided that this is going to be the source for some additional police officers, some additional people in the circuit clerk's office, and a couple additional people in our problem property group that goes after the problem properties within our communities."
The initiative would increase fees for larger businesses by 50% and by 33% for those with 10 or fewer employees. It needs 60% vote to be approved.