Wow, awesome job Slay.

Thanks for the post steve.

I wonder if Mr. Slay is ready to address the incentives offered by the City and State to move Schnucks downtown–a move that will possibly result in the closing or moving of City Grocers. Sure it’s bad when incentives are used to move an employer across county lines, but what about incentives to shut down competitors across the street? No one in St. Louis wants to see employers leave, especially with state money subsidizing the move. But Slay needs to look a little closer to City Hall before he starts taking on that martyr tone.

Funny to see Slay opposed to intrastate poaching of businesses. His own administration made an infamous run at getting Centene to move from the County.

Would he have been worked up if Centene chose Ballpark Village and then enticed with an assist from public financing a large law firm in the County to relocate to its new office?

Craig wrote: “Would he have been worked up if Centene chose Ballpark Village and then enticed with an assist from public financing a large law firm in the County to relocate to its new office?”
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Probably not, given that the resulting revenue could be used to fund some of the services that poor County residents come into the City to find, because the services don’t exist in the County.

Centene is run by a bunch of crooked people – shocking. If Mayor Slay can convince both Armstrong Teasdale and Thompson Coburn to stay downtown and resist these rediculous tax breaks, that would make a huge statement. I would hope that both law firms would make the correct ethical choice, however, they are law firms so there’s probably nothing ethical about their thinking.

I’m really happy Slay is up in arms over this. However, I wish he’d make his fury public and show how companies like this are screwing Missouri taxpayers.

While it is great Mayor Slay is speaking up, it also demonstrates once again the corrupt partnership of government and corporations. This tax giveaway is totally absurd in every way. Mayor Slay is correct, but how could this have been approved at any level of government?
Missouri would be better off eliminating all tax credit and incentive programs and put the money into mass transit or health care. Actions that will improve the lives of everyone, rich or poor, rather than a few well connected insiders.

Of course, as Mayor Slay points out, this is all legal. Since they make the laws nothing is corrupt. The clever leaders have made corruption legal, just for them. Everyone else lives by other laws.

Ethics, forget it, you’re dreaming.

I am disgusted by the small-mindedness and short-vision local and state leaders display through their petty actions. The city, along with St. Louis, St. Charles, Jefferson and surrounding Missouri AND Illinois counties need to work together to attract LARGE corporations’ manufacturing, call centers, headquarters and other high-employee demand facilities to our REGION, which must include the city.

It is great that O’Fallon, Missouri, has Mastercard–it helps the entire region. It is atrocious that the city lost Southwestern Bell (at least as the HQ, even though 1010 Pine, One Bell Center and the Data Center are still downtown). And, it is terrifying that the city could lose a number of jobs due the AB and AG Edwards buyouts.

We need to grow the region, that much is definite. But in that effort we cannot forget the city as a part of that plan.

Travis, screw large corporations, they are a major cause of the problems. They buy everyone in sight, distorting urban planning and democracy.
It is most interesting that these law firms have no ethics, for they, more than anyone, should see how they benefit greatly from the public coffers.
If McCain and Palin truly what to change abuse and corruption, this is another (I am breathless because there are so many) example of corruption.

In fact the corruption is so widespread and common, everyone seems to accept it.

If this is how they make decisions then should they be in positions of power, whether corporate or governmental?, at first blush, conducting government policy for the benefit of a few looks like corruption, I’m not sure but maybe a few of the silver tongued lawyers from Thompson Coburn can explain why it is not corruption.

I applaud the Mayor also, speak up!

How ironic if Thompson and Coburn left. The owners of One U.S. Bank Plaza, where they lease many floors, had the Ambassador Theater torn down for that disgusting concrete plaza. Perhaps we should remember, in the long term, that sacrificing our buildings in the name of “economic development” will not sustain Downtown growth. Suburbia will always be able build new and issue their TIF’s until, as Slay says correctly, we have some actual State legislative reform! Until then we must use existing financial mechanisms and promote our historic office space.
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How ironic also that Real Estate Row was demolished partly in order to eliminate competition for office space! Yes, Pride of St. Louis Redevelopment Corporation members also owned bordering buildings and, in order to ensure their price, wanted to eliminate cheaper competition. However these buildings housed smaller firms thereby diversifying our downtown work force through promoting small business.
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If perhaps we didn’t always think of Mega-Projects and “Big Players,” while provided affordable office options for smaller firms, we wouldn’t be so dependent on this guys, who obviously have questionable Civic Pride!