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St. Louis Sales Tax May Help Fund Zoo

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The St. Louis Zoo may soon be funded by sales tax from St. Louis and surrounding counties, after the Missouri Senate gave initial approval Thursday to a bill creating new rules for sales tax increases.

The bill now needs one more vote before it goes to the House. Senator Gina Walsh, the sponsor of the bill, said it will allow the zoo to raise money in order to remain a largely free attraction.

The bill would allow St. Louis and surrounding counties to raise taxes by up to 0.125 percent to fund the zoo.

It also caps the total sales tax at 1 percent for the counties and 2 percent in the city, and allows the zoo to charge admission for newly-built facilities from visitors who are not from St. Louis City or St. Louis County.