Updated with final results:

Voters in St. Louis and St. Louis County have approved two ballot questions that will lead to a sewer rate increase and a new property tax in exchange for addressing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of sewer infrastructure projects and flooding and erosion control capital improvement measures.

The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District, which covers all of the city of St. Louis and the vast majority of St. Louis County, sought approval of Prop W, to issue $750 million in revenue bonds to replace sewer infrastructure over the next four years.

Prop W passed by a combined total of 89,211 ‘yes’ votes to 22,441 ‘no’ votes. 

Prop S asked to impose a residential property tax of $.0745 to fund flooding and erosion control capital improvements, for an impact of $7.45 cents per $100 of assessed property value.

It passed by a combined total of 63,622 ‘yes’ votes to 47,945 ‘no’ votes.

School district ballot questions all passed in Lindbergh, Riverview Gardens, Orchard Farm, University City and Valley Park.

In St. Charles County, voters approved reauthorizing Proposition K, a countywide one quarter of 1% sales tax, which would fund public safety, courtroom space and expansion of the county’s pet adoption services, by a two-to-one margin, with 26,586 saying yes and 13,943 saying no.

Jefferson County voters on Tuesday passed a 3% sales tax on recreational marijuana products by a wide margin, with 10,758 in support and 4,791 in opposition.

 

What You Need To Know

 

Original story:

ST. LOUIS—Voters will decide local municipal government elections, school board races and ballot measures across the St. Louis region Tuesday, as well as the fate of sewer rate increase that would fund stormwater, flooding and erosion projects over the next twenty years.

What You Need To Know

  • Polls open Tuesday at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Anyone in line at 7 can still vote

  • St. Louis County voters can vote at any polling location inside the county

  • Voters in the city of St. Louis can vote at any precinct inside the city 

  • There are county-wide ballot questions for residents in St. Charles County and Jefferson County

The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District, which covers all of the city of St. Louis and almost all of St. Louis County, will ask voters two questions on the April 2 ballot.

Prop W seeks approval to issue $750 million in revenue bonds to repair or replace sewer infrastructure. If approved, monthly sewer bills would go up by roughly 7% annually, as opposed to an approximately 35% hike if the proposition is rejected.

Prop S asks to impose a residential property tax of $.0745 to fund flooding and erosion control capital improvements, for an impact of $7.45 cents per $100 of assessed property value.

Put together, if both were approved, the agency would be armed with an estimated $1.6 billion to address infrastructure problems made worse by systems that have been in operation since the turn of the 20th century.  

Among the other notable questions facing the region:

Marijuana sales tax

Jefferson County is the largest government in the region asking voters for permission to collect a tax of up to 3% on recreational marijuana sales, along with Breckenridge Hills, Cool Valley, Fenton, Pagedale, Velda City and Winchester.

St. Louis County school districts

  • Lindbergh School district voters are being asked to approve a $150 million bond issue that is not expected to impact the district’s tax levy. If it passes, the district says it will build a new K-12 agricultural STEM learning center and make improvements to other buildings district-wide, including safety and parking changes.

  • University City school district residents are deciding on a $65 million request to make roof improvements at each district building and to upgrade the University City High School multi-purpose athletic complex. The district’s debt service levy would remain unchanged.

  • The Riverview Gardens school district wants voter approval to borrow $25 million for safety, security, roof, HVAC, parking and technology improvements that would not impact the district’s debt service levy.

  • The Valley Park school district is looking for voter approval to borrow $16.5 million for security and safety improvements, replacing roofing and HVAC systems and other school projects. The adjusted debt service levy would remain unchanged.

St. Charles County

  • Voters in St. Charles County will be asked to renew Proposition K, the countywide one quarter of 1% sales tax, which would fund public safety, courtroom space and expansion of the county’s pet adoption services

  • In the city of St. Charles, voters are deciding the fate of Proposition C, an $85 million bond question that would lead to a new city government complex that would also include including a senior center, historical society, arts and cultural areas.

  • The Orchard Farm school district is looking for approval to borrow $72 million to, among other things, build a new elementary school. It would not impact the district’s debt service levy.