UNIVERSITY CITY — With former St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger set to report to federal prison Saturday following his conviction for pay-to-play corruption, a group of local political activists called Monday night for a publicly funded campaign finance system in St. Louis County.

The “Honest Elections Act” proposal was put forward during a forum about money in politics and corruption held at the Kol Rinah Congregation and sponsored by the St. Louis County NAACP, the League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis and political action groups Show Me Integrity and American Promise St. Louis.

Six of seven St. Louis County Council members attended the event and took questions from audience members about reforms to St. Louis County government. And all of them said they were leaning toward supporting the campaign finance proposal — with the caveat that the county would need to find the money, estimated at several million dollars a year, to do it.

“When you leave, go out and start selling this to people you know,” St. Louis County Councilman Ernie Trakas, R-6th District, told the audience of around 200 people.

The proposal would allow candidates to opt in, and participating candidates would agree to not accept donations of more than $250 or from corporations or those doing business with the county.