JEFFERSON CITY • Republican state Rep. Sue Allen filed a measure last week that would allow the entire state to determine the fate of the 1 percent earnings tax in both St. Louis and Kansas City.

If passed by the House and Senate, the measure eliminates earnings taxes by 2030 would be put on the ballot for voter approval.

When questioned about her bill, Allen, from Town and Country, said the measure "is not something I'm spending a lot of time on so I'd rather you not address this with me" and noted other lawmakers had filed proposals eliminating the tax.

Additionally, she said she filed the bill because someone asked her to, but she would not identify the individual who did so.

Allen joins a number of lawmakers who have filed proposals to eliminate the earnings tax, though no measures have received floor debate halfway through the legislative session.

Currently, anyone who lives or works in the city of St. Louis or Kansas City must pay the 1 percent tax. In St. Louis, the tax generates one-third of the city’s general revenue, a total of $185 million last year. It pays for city services such as police and fire departments, park maintenance and street repair.