St. Louis County Tax Fight Heats Up as Region Seeks Economic Unity

In St. Louis County, Group A municipalities keep a portion of sales tax revenue and put the rest into a county-wide pool. Group B municipalities put all sales tax revenue into the county-wide pool and draw an allotment based on population. A pays into B, but B pays only into itself. In 2000, 290,000 people in St. Louis County lived in A Cities and 724,000 lived in B Cities.

House Bill 534 being debated in Jefferson City seeks to change that system. It is proposed that beginning next year cities in Group A would not be required to share any revenue. Sales tax revenue generated in Clayton would stay in Clayton. Sales tax revenue in Maplewood would stay in Maplewood. Such a change would further balkanize the municipalities of St. Louis County.

At a time when serious people with serious ideas are working to create a more cohesive region that can better compete in our global economy, others are determined ignore economic reality and selfishly grab what they can by any means necessary. We should not be ushering in a system where regional assets are fought over by warring fiefdoms, the best thieves win, and the losers can’t afford police to patrol their empty storefronts.