As the St. Paul City Council considers raising its sales tax and how it might spend the revenue, early-childhood advocates are solidifying plans for a dramatic expansion in publicly funded preschool.

Council member Rebecca Noecker pitched a plan Tuesday night to the St. Paul school board that would subsidize year-round care for every 3- and 4-year-old in the city.

About three in four children’s families — those making up to three times the federal poverty level, or $78,600 for a family of four — would pay nothing; higher earners would be subsidized on a sliding scale.

At the outset, every licensed care provider — even those with no or low ratings from Parent Aware, the state’s child care evaluation program — would be eligible to participate. Noecker said a committee also is looking into bringing in informal child care providers, such as family friends and neighbors.

A study estimated that by year five of the program, the preschool subsidies would cost around $28 million — a huge chunk of the $36 million that a new 1 percent sales tax figures to generate.

The city council last week voted 4-3 to hire a lobbyist who will monitor sales tax legislation this year and meet with lawmakers about St. Paul’s interest in increasing its sales tax.

The city would need the Legislature’s permission before putting the issue before St. Paul voters. The city could bring a bill during the 2021 legislative session, and the lobbyist will tell them whether that’s even worth pursuing.

It’s no sure thing that the council will even agree on a sales tax proposal. Besides preschool, they’re interested in spending the tax revenue on road work, mass transit and affordable housing.

It was preschool that got the city talking about a sales tax hike. The St. Paul Children’s Collaborative, whose members represent the city, St. Paul Public Schools, Ramsey County, Head Start and the broader community, put together a “St. Paul 3K” blueprint in 2017.

Noecker said a survey found surprising support for the concept: about 80 percent liked the idea of a city-funded preschool program, and 60 percent thought a sales tax was a good way to pay for it.

“We were really buoyed by the fact that we think this has strong public support,” she said.

Noecker found mostly positive feedback Tuesday.

“As a board member and a longtime St. Paulite, I’m excited about it,” school board member John Brodrick said.

However, some question whether the program as designed would actually prepare more kids for kindergarten besides providing them a safe place while their parents work.

Noecker acknowledged there’s no structure in place to ensure academic quality wherever the youngsters spend their days, but she said they’d examine outcomes to see if it’s making a difference.

State lawmakers have talked for years about expanding public preschool and have taken baby steps in that direction.

School board member Steve Marchese said he worries about the city “letting the state off the hook” by using a sales tax to fund preschool.

Noecker said if the state someday decides to pay for 3- and 4-year-old preschool, the city could instead spend its sales tax revenue on child care subsidies for 1- and 2-year-olds.