St. Louis again considers city-county merger

County and city leaders gathered Tuesday near the St. Louis city-county border to promote the latest effort to consider a local government merger that proponents say would save money by streamlining services and provide other benefits.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports an effort failed nearly nine decades ago, when in 1926, city voters approved an initiative but county voters did not.

The newest effort aims to reduce duplication of services, as well as boost public finance, economic development, public health, public safety, parks and recreation and administration.

St. Louis is currently unique in Missouri in that it is a city that is its own county. The city and St. Louis County broke apart in 1876, according to the report.

Read more from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.