1. All cities in this state which now have or which may hereafter contain a population of not less than three hundred thousand and not more than seven hundred thousand inhabitants, according to the last preceding federal decennial census, framing and adopting charters for their own government under the provisions of § 19, Article VI of the Constitution of Missouri, or which framed and adopted charters for their own government under the provisions of § 16, Article IX of the Constitution of Missouri for 1875, as amended, may by city ordinance levy and impose annually for municipal purposes upon the real and tangible personal property located within their corporate limits a tax which shall not exceed a maximum rate of one dollar on the hundred dollars assessed valuation, except as herein provided.

2. Such annual rate of tax levy of one dollar on the hundred dollars assessed valuation shall be limited, or may be increased, by such cities by city ordinance, as follows:

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(1) If the annual rate of tax levy for debt service, including principal and interest payments on any bonded debt of such cities, equals or exceeds fifty cents on the hundred dollars assessed valuation, then such cities cannot by city ordinance levy and impose any tax for municipal operating purposes at an annual tax rate in excess of said one dollar on the hundred dollars assessed valuation; provided, however, that if the annual rate of tax levy for municipal operating purposes is less than one dollar on the hundred dollars assessed valuation, then such cities may by city ordinance levy and impose an annual tax for capital improvements, such as public works, public buildings and any other public improvements in such cities, at a rate which may equal, but shall not exceed, the difference between the annual rate of tax levy for municipal operating purposes and one dollar on the hundred dollars assessed valuation.

(2) If the annual rate of tax levy for debt service, including principal and interest payments on any bonded debt of such cities, is less than fifty cents on the hundred dollars assessed valuation and the annual rate of tax levy for municipal operating purposes is one dollar on the hundred dollars assessed valuation, then such cities may by city ordinance levy and impose additional taxes at an annual rate not to exceed such tax rate as shall represent the difference between the one dollar on the hundred dollars assessed valuation imposed for municipal operating purposes, plus the rate required for such debt service, and an annual tax rate not to exceed one dollar and fifty cents on the hundred dollars assessed valuation; provided, however, that any such additional tax levy shall be imposed solely for capital improvements or operating expenses for any one or all of the following purposes, namely, hospital, public health, recreation grounds and museum.

(3) If the annual rate of tax levy for debt service, including principal and interest payments on any bonded debt of such cities, is less than fifty cents on the hundred dollars assessed valuation, and the annual rate of tax levy for municipal operating purposes is less than one dollar on the hundred dollars assessed valuation, then such cities may by city ordinance, in addition to any tax levy for the specific purposes described in subdivision (2) of this section, namely, hospital, public health, recreation grounds and museum, also levy and impose taxes at an annual rate not to exceed such tax rate as shall represent the difference between the annual tax rate for municipal operating purposes and one dollar on the hundred dollars assessed valuation, for any capital improvements such as public works, public buildings or public improvements of any kind in such cities, but such total annual tax rate shall not exceed one dollar and fifty cents on the hundred dollars assessed valuation.