At the council meeting Monday night, Councilman Joe Cronin, R-St. Paul, and Mike Klinghammer, R-St. Charles, said they also supported Brazil's bill.

"This problem that we're having with heroin is truly scary," Klinghammer said. "It's gotten to be so mainstream and so prevalent."

Councilman Mike Elam, R-Dardenne Prairie, said there definitely is a need for more drug officers.

However, he said he's concerned that the measure might spur some people to instead shop in St. Louis County and that less sales tax money than the county expects might end up being available.

"When you opt out of this, are people going to go across the bridge and buy something in Chesterfield?" Elam asked.

County Executive Steve Ehlmann asked Finance Director Bob Schnur to see if St. Peters' decision a few years ago to opt out had any effect on sales during the remaining state sales-tax holiday periods at Mid Rivers Mall.

As for the county tax, Schnur said his office estimates that about $384,000 overall would be raised over the sales-tax holiday period.