91 Municipalities in St. Louis County Too Many, Too Few or Just Right?
Two interesting stories this week, one saying 91 municipalities in St. Louis County is a strength. The other from an alderman in one of those municipalities, wanting to unincorporate.
Mayors of some of St. Louis County’s 91 municipalities say they’re tired of being portrayed as one of the county’s biggest problems — and they hope to spend 2011 setting the record straight.
“There’s a wrong perception that the number of munipalities [sic] makes (St. Louis County) less competitive,” said Glendale Mayor Rich Magee, president of the St. Louis County Municipal League. “We’re the solution, not the problem.” (The more, the better: Municipal League says county’s many cities are its strength)
Here is the long list:
In contrast is St. George:
Alderman Carmen Wilkerson wants to erase the city she represents from the map.
St. George covers just 0.2 square miles and has a population of about 1,400. Wilkerson says there’s no reason to keep a city so small. She wants it to revert to unincorporated south St. Louis County. (St. George official backs end to city)
The poll question this week asks “91 Municipalities in St. Louis County Too Many, Too Few or Just Right?“Â The poll is located in the upper right of the site.
– Steve Patterson
I can't believe these schmucks are beating their chests over purchasing salt and gas in bulk. We need dozens of mayors and city councils to accomplish this? What a joke
Well that's “regional planning” in St. Louis!
How is merging into a municipality that will buy even more gas and salt going to hurt buying in bulk?
Since the poll is trending very decisively, next week's poll should be what is / are the next steps? Merging / dissolving all county cities, creating a suburban unified government? Merging both the city and county into one unified, mega government? Mandating / encouraging a maximum 8-20 merged “mini-mega” cities or boroughs? Requiring unicorporated areas to incorporate or be annexed?
It's one thing to say “too many”; it's a whole nuther to come up with a workable alternative. Look how productive (not) talks have been between Clayton, Brentwood, Richmond Heights and Maplewood, 4 cities that are relatively similar economically and demographically. Try combining Ladue and University City, Kirkwood and Crestwood, or Maryland Heights and Creve Coeur. It's going to take a combination of STRONG leadership, voters just saying no to ever-increasing budgets and new taxes, an acceptance that local identity doesn't require a full-service, micro-government and a new structure that balances local representation with much-more-efficient delivery of core government services.
Perhaps the south county model of large swaths of unincorporated area is the answer. Perhaps the city model of a large city with multiple small wards is. Or perhaps defining large chunks with natural boundaries is the answer – for example, the St. Louis city limits out to I-270, I-64/40 to Olive Blvd., creating LaClaytonette? If nothing else, it should make for an interesting discussion . . .
headline should read: “Municipalities say that municipalities are important”
Of course they think so, they don't want to lose their mini-kingdoms
The contrast in perspectives is telling. Wealthy Glendale doesn't have incentive to change a thing. Not so wealthy St. George would benefit from incorporation. I think it's a matter of baby steps. We may see it happen defacto in some of the poorer suburbs, first. And, I would rather see a consolidation of resources in some of those places, rather than the current revenue model of gobbling up other municipalities' retail establishments and establishing speed traps.
Oops…meant to say that St. George would benefit from becoming a part of the county or merging with another city. Glendale has incentive to stand on its own.
How dumb to comment about too many municipalities. Muni’s are not objects or animals. They contain people, people who choose to be within one in the first place. If you are not within one what right do you have to say they should not exist? The people within have that right only, let them decide only. This drive to erase or merge them is outsiders telling insiders how they should live their lives according to their rules or as they see things. What next, come in grade my living arrangements? Tell me how and where to sleep in my bedroom? Where’s does this stop? I mean when do people step up and say enough of people taking charge how we should live our lives? I’m a Democrat just not to confuse me with Tea Party or Libertarian rhetoric.
How dumb to comment about too many municipalities. Muni’s are not objects or animals. They contain people, people who choose to be within one in the first place. If you are not within one what right do you have to say they should not exist? The people within have that right only, let them decide only. This drive to erase or merge them is outsiders telling insiders how they should live their lives according to their rules or as they see things. What next, come in grade my living arrangements? Tell me how and where to sleep in my bedroom? Where’s does this stop? I mean when do people step up and say enough of people taking charge how we should live our lives? I’m a Democrat just not to confuse me with Tea Party or Libertarian rhetoric.