And the property and sales taxes the city collects are somehow insufficient to fund that infrastructure, unlike literally every other municipality in Missouri other than St. Louis. Somehow these two need to collect an extra percent of "earned" income from people who live and work in them.
The bottom line is that when considering the compensation package for a job, the nominal pay is but a part of the story. One must add the value of benefits, and subtract the cost of taxes, transportation, etc. The need the city has for that money is irrelevant to the fact that the worker won't be allowed to keep it. He too can not operate on a pro bono basis.