JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Missouri House has passed a bill on sales tax increases for the St. Louis Zoo.

House members voted 88-55 Tuesday to send the bill to the Senate, which is considering a similar proposal.
The bill allows ballot initiatives to be brought in St. Louis and St. Louis County to raise taxes by up to an eighth of a percent to fund the zoo. Current law allows a half-percent raise.

The measure also would allow the zoo to charge admission for new facilities for people who live in counties that don’t adopt a zoo tax.

Proponents tout the bill as a way to limit proposed tax increases that ultimately would be decided by voters.

Bipartisan opponents slammed it as a way to increase sales taxes for an unnecessary expense.