‘Unlawful and outrageous’: Citizens’ group sues to block downtown district tax |

ST. LOUIS — The battle for control of millions of dollars meant to keep downtown clean and safe is headed to court.

Prominent opponents of the Downtown Community Improvement District filed suit late Tuesday to block the district from imposing its annual tax and stop the city from carrying it out.

The district’s current 10-year term expires Dec. 31, and despite more than a year of trying, it has yet to secure an extension from property owners. The lawsuit says that because the district imposes annual taxes in advance of each new year, the district can’t collect without an extension into 2022.

“This Court should not permit this unlawful and outrageous plan to be implemented,” said the lawsuit, filed by downtown condo owners Les Sterman and Matt O’Leary, who want to form a new district.

The current district collects more than $3 million per year from downtown property owners, and is supposed to use that money to maintain a vibrant downtown St. Louis. Guided by a board with representatives from City Hall, the Cardinals, and firms like Stifel Nicolaus and Spire, it has spent the money to hire private security, employ street sweepers and plant trees and flowers downtown.

District executive director Kelli McCrary said on Wednesday she had not seen the suit and would not comment. But she rejected the lawsuit’s premise in a statement earlier this month. “We believe the 2021 assessment is lawful and the City will allow us to collect,” she said.