St. Louis Votes: A Gateway to Understanding the Impact of St. Louis City and St. Louis County Ballot Propositions

In the most recent election, held on November 5, 2024, St. Louis voted to pass the following Propositions: Missouri’s Proposition A; St. Louis City’s Propositions T, V, and S; and St. Louis County’s Propositions A, C, and O. The effects of these ballot measures range widely, from St. Louis City increasing tax on short term rentals to St. Louis County authorizing a separate legal team for County Council.

Both St. Louis City and St. Louis County voted in favor of Missouri’s Proposition A, which received 58% of the vote statewide. Proposition A increases Missouri’s current minimum wage of $12.30 per hour to $13.75 per hour, effective January 1, 2025. Thereafter, minimum wage will be increased each year by $1.25 per hour until it reaches $15.00 per hour, effective January 1, 2026. Proposition A further requires employers to provide one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked by employees. Small businesses—those that have less than fifteen employees—will be required to provide up to five days of paid sick time per year, while large businesses will be required to provide up to seven days of paid sick time per year. Earned paid sick time will begin to accrue on May 1, 2025. Certain individuals are exempt from the paid sick time mandate. Among exempt individuals are those employed intermittently, such as a golf caddy or babysitter, service employees at a business which makes less than five hundred thousand dollars per year, and others. Proposition A’s minimum wage requirement is estimated to affect 562,000 individuals, while the paid sick leave requirement is estimated to affect 728,000 individuals. Proposition A marks the third time Missouri has increased its minimum wage, following increases in 2006 and 2018. While Proposition A changed state law, it did not amend the Missouri Constitution. Therefore, it is possible for the legislature to overturn this measure.

In St. Louis City, voters approved Propositions T, V, and S. Proposition T received a resounding 88% of the vote. It will transform the Department of Streets into the Department of Transportation, which will have the authority to repair streets, sidewalks, and other public property, continue to perform waste removal services, and plan and engineer transportation projects and programs. It is slated to take effect in July 2029.

Proposition V received 79% of the vote. It eliminates the current $500 annual cap on fines for violations of city ordinances regarding unpermitted demolitions, vacant property, non-owner-occupied deteriorated property, and actions considered harmful to environmental conditions in the city such as unauthorized dumping of waste or debris on private or public property, prohibited refuse, and waste tire disposal. Proposition V enables the Board of Aldermen to increase these fines and fees up to the state limit of $1,000 per violation, with each day of a continuing violation considered to be a separate offense.

Proposition S, which received 67% of the vote, also takes effect immediately. It imposes an additional 3% tax on top of existing lodging taxes for short term rentals, which are considered to be properties of residential occupancy of 30 days or less. Proceeds from the tax will be paid quarterly, with at least 50% of the proceeds going to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and the remaining revenue towards other affordable housing initiatives. Proposition S builds upon the short-term rental laws passed last year that began regulating these properties by requiring short-term rental owners and short-term rental platforms to apply for a city permit by May 6, 2025. The ordinances provide that permits will be issued only to individuals and applicants are limited to the operation of four rental units. Properties in receipt of tax-increment financing for improvements are not permitted to operate as short-term rentals. Permit holders are required to offer a minimum stay of two nights, comply with specific safety measures, and designate an agent to respond in person within an hour to any reported issues. St. Louis City will be posting all short-term rental addresses on a city website to track violations and legal infractions. Noncompliance may result in fines or revocation of permits.

St. Louis City’s Proposition B did not pass. Proposition B would have permitted the Board of Aldermen to add appropriations in the annual city budget ordinance without needing approval from the Board of Estimate and Apportionment.

St. Louis County voted in favor of two propositions which will alter the dynamic between the St. Louis County Council and County Executive. Proposition A allows County Councilmembers to nominate candidates for vacancies on the St. Louis County Port Authority Board of Commissioners. It received 67% of the vote. Proposition C received 61% of the vote and will allow St. Louis County Council to retain its own legal counsel for certain purposes, in an effort to preserve separation of powers. St. Louis County’s Proposition O also passed, receiving 77% of the vote. Proposition O provides that terms of office for members of the County Council, the County Executive, the Prosecuting Attorney, and the Assessor will commence at the same time—the first Tuesday in January following the election.

Copies of the unofficial election results from St. Louis City and St. Louis County are available in the links. Lewis Rice’s Government Solutions & Administrative Law attorneys work with a wide range of elected and appointed decision-makers as they navigate major policy issues. We regularly represent clients’ interests before executive departments, legislative committees, administrative agencies, and local government bodies. If you have questions about the election or other concerns, please contact David Sweeney or Marlee Rowe.