Starting In St. Louis City
Starting in St. Louis City, this looks like a ½-cent sales tax increase via a charter amendment that would provide $22.436 million per year in perpetuity
We have an unprecedented opportunity to win big and ensure STL kids get the best start possible to become thriving leaders in our region, beginning with St. Louis City on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026.
Long-term, Best Start for Kids STL is an effort to establish approximately $100 million in local, sustainable public funding for children ages 0 to 5 in St. Louis City and St. Louis County.
Funding Would...
Make Child Care Affordable
for Families
- Reduce the cost of early childhood education for families of all income levels
- Expand access to high-quality care
- Help working families stay in the workforce
Strengthen and Stabilize Child
Care Providers
Strengthen and Stabilize Child Care Providers
Strengthen and Stabilize
Child Care Providers
- Increase wages and benefits for early educators
- Improve quality of care
- Grow and sustain the child care workforce
We Are Facing a Child Care Crisis
FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING
Child care cost more than a mortgage. Infant care can cost up to $31,000 per year.
PROVIDERS ARE UNDERPAID
The average child care worker earns just $25,000 per year, even with a degree and specialized training.
OUR ECONOMY IS LOSING
St. Louis City and County lose an estimated $270 million each year in business losses and reduced tax revenue due to gaps in child care access.
