JEFFERSON CITY • Rapper 50 Cent took center stage in the Missouri Senate Monday after a St. Louis Democrat vowed to stop legislation that would change county sales tax collections.
In order to stop a proposal altering how local sales taxes are collected and distributed in St. Louis County, Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal began reading a book titled “The 50th Law,” which chronicles 50 Cent’s rise as a musician.
At issue for Chappelle-Nadal was an amendment tacked on to the measure that would allow voters in unincorporated areas of St. Louis County to impose a sales tax of up to one-half of one percent to pay for law enforcement coverage.
Chappelle-Nadal said her constituents want more reform in the wake of the disturbances in Ferguson in 2014.
“I do not trust our current leadership whatsoever,” Chappelle-Nadal said. “The people I represent have no confidence in this leadership.”
Sen. Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, called on Chappelle-Nadal to allow for the new version to move forward, saying the voters can decide if the tax structure needs to be changed.
Instead, Chappelle-Nadal held the floor and stopped all activity in the chamber for more than 40 minutes by reading from the book.
If approved by voters, the revenue called for through the tax could be used for providing salary increases to as many as 1,100 members of the St. Louis County Police Department.
It also could finance increased training, additional equipment and, potentially, construction projects.
County Police Chief Jon Belmar earlier told a House committee that the added money could help him boost hiring. He said if there had been two officers in the patrol car during the Michael Brown incident 18 months ago in Ferguson, he thinks the situation wouldn’t have ended in Brown’s death.
Chappelle-Nadal said she does not want to support a tax for police until more is done to deal with policing practices she believes have not been fixed.
“There are still practices in St. Louis County that are unfavorable,” Chappelle-Nadal said.
Schatz brought the reading to an end by taking the measure off the floor. Although similar legislation moved forward in the House Monday, the legislation remains stalled in the Senate.
Similar legislation moved forward in the House Monday.
The legislation is Senate Bill 788 and House Bill 1561.
