At a forum Thursday to mark Metrolink's 15th anniversary, Metro officials said service cuts or fare hikes will be likely next year if more funding isn't found.
St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay said the extra $80 million a year the proposed tax is estimated to raise is money that would come back to taxpayers.
"The savings are tremendous," Slay said. "And [there are] quality of life aspects, where people can just get around without worrying about where they're going to park and getting a parking ticket, and paying high gas prices."
If county voters approve the sales tax proposal likely to be on the ballot in November, a quarter cent sales tax will automatically go into effect in the city. Voters there approved the transit tax a decade ago.
At 8.2 percent, the city's sales tax is already the highest in the region, but Slay does not expect another tax to harm city businesses.
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