ST. LOUIS (KMOV) -- A tax increase may be a hard sell in the current economy, but that’s what Metro is asking St. Louis County residents to do on Election Day.

Proposition M would increase taxes by .5 percent in the county – equivalent to a nickel for every $10 spent at a store.

If passed, Proposition M would generate $80 million to be used for the expansion of the Metro system and maintenance of the bus and MetroLink lines.

Metro said if Proposition M does not pass, there would be no service after 8 p.m., trains would run every 15 minutes instead of every 10 minutes and there would be no bus service past Interstate 270.

Voters who are for the proposal said it would be an investment in the region, while those against it said they don’t want any more taxes.