Mavis "Tessa" Thompson

As St. Louis license collector, Thompson gave a newspaper her election opponent's unredacted business-license application, which exposed the opponent's Social Security number, birth date and driver's license number. A judge denied the opponent's request for a restraining order on August 6, 2018, finding no hard evidence the sharing would continue.

August 6, 2018Opposes Anti-Corruption

Source: stlamerican.com · researched July 30, 2026

Missouri's state auditor reviewed the St. Louis License Collector's office and rated it "good" in December 2021. The office took in about $56 million in the year ending May 31, 2020. Auditors found staff did not properly balance the office's six bank accounts and let the same employees both handle money and keep the records. They also found nobody checked business license applications for accuracy, so the office could not show businesses paid the correct fees.

December 21, 2021Opposes Government Efficiency

Source: auditor.mo.gov · researched July 30, 2026

Appointed St. Louis License Collector by Governor Jay Nixon in October 2013, then won election to the office in 2014. Previously served as elected Circuit Clerk for Missouri's 22nd Judicial Circuit. Earlier worked as an assistant attorney general in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, on the state Employment Security Appeals Tribunal, and as municipal prosecutor for Berkeley, Dellwood, and Wellston. Also served as president of the National Bar Association.

July 29, 2026

Source: stlouis-mo.gov · researched July 30, 2026

Her office, the St. Louis License Collector, published the 2025 Senior and Veterans Business Discount Booklet listing city businesses offering discounts to seniors and veterans.

November 19, 2025

Source: stlouis-mo.gov · researched July 30, 2026

Launched online business license application and renewal through the payitSt.Louis platform, covering all six city licensing categories - convention and tourism, graduated business licensing, manufacturing, hotel/motel, restaurant receipts, and gross receipts for public garages and parking lots - and eliminating manual paperwork for applicants.

April 4, 2022

Source: stlouis-mo.gov · researched July 30, 2026

Her office told St. Louis employers it would enforce the city's "ban the box" law, which bars hiring decisions based on criminal history, and could pull the business license of violators (Ordinance 71074, effective January 1, 2021).

February 13, 2020

Source: stlouis-mo.gov · researched July 30, 2026

Finalized a voluntary tax collection agreement with Airbnb under which, effective December 1, 2018, Airbnb automatically collects local taxes on all St. Louis city bookings and remits them to the License Collector's office, giving the office a single remitting entity for a home-sharing market that recorded 88,500 guest arrivals and $9.14 million in host income in 2017.

November 30, 2018

Source: stlouis-mo.gov · researched July 30, 2026

The Missouri State Tax Commission ruled against her office in a GlaxoSmithKline appeal, upholding a hearing officer's decision. It found she taxed unfinished business property at full market value while the city assessor gave the same class of property a 35 percent discount, which unfairly singled out the company under the state constitution. The commission also rejected her argument that the assessor's policies did not bind her.

December 22, 2014

Source: stc.mo.gov · researched July 30, 2026