JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Senate on Tuesday sent a paired back version of its transportation sales tax increase ballot measure back to the House.

Both chambers originally supported a 1 percent sales tax increase, but the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, changed the bill to only raise sales taxes by .75 percent increase.

“I would like to see the voters of Missouri have the opportunity to see if this is the best way to fund transportation,” he said.

The bill, if approved by voters, would provide some $5.34 billion to fund transportation projects like building and maintaining roads and bridges over the next decade. Five percent of the funds raised would go to both cities and counties, and the other 90 percent would be used by the state.

Similar legislation was initially passed in the legislature last year, but stalled late in session in the Senate by a Republican filibuster.

Kehoe said he believes voters would approve the funding. He said according to polling conducted by transportation groups, it polls the best compared to adding toll roads and raising the gas tax.