SPRINGFIELD – A proposed Missouri ballot initiative would allow municipalities and counties to establish their own tax rates on tobacco products, The Springfield News-Leader reports.

Prior to 1993, local Missouri governments were allowed to set their own tobacco taxes, but a health bill passed in 1993 pre-empted the taxation power of municipalities while increasing the statewide tobacco tax. St. Louis lawyer Brad Ketcher seeks to change that.

With a history of working on initiative petitions and a stint as chief of state to Governor Mel Carnahan, Ketcher submitted a petition though a lobbyist.

“It’s certainly an idea I’ve had for a proposal, but it’s also something that there’s interest among potential clients as well,” Ketcher said. “The thrust of the measure is really to put local voters in charge of local tobacco taxes.”

Springfield Mayor Bob Stephens said he will study the petition but even if it were approved by voters, he would have a difficult time supporting a tobacco tax.

“As long as we have a promise to the voters not to implement new taxes while the police-fire tax is ongoing, I would not even favor consideration of this even if the constitution is amended,” Stephens said.