Local Propositions on April Ballott, Filing Period Still Open for August Primary
We just finished a primary, but election season continues — switching now to local & state issues/races.
Filing is still open for offices like city Circuit Attorney, Sheriff, Treasurer, and party committeeman & committeewoman. The last day to file is Tuesday March 29th, it opened in late February. Here is a summary of the filings, as of March 14th (list obtained March 16th):
- Circuit Attorney: four (4) seeking the Democratic nomination, Jennifer Joyce is not seeking another term.
- Sheriff: five (5) seeking the Democratic nomination, One (1) seeking the Republican nomination. Jim Murphy is not seeking another term.
- Treasurer: One (1) candidate filed for the nomination in each of the following parties: Democrat, Republican, Green. Tishaura Jones is seeking a 2nd term.
Committeeman/Committeewoman, which are filled for each party in each ward in August, is a great way to get involved in the political process. As of March 14th filing report, the following are the only ones with 2 or more Democratic candidates:
- Committeeman, Ward 1
- Committeewoman, Ward 1
- Committeeman, Ward 3
- Committeewoman, Ward 3
- Committeeman, Ward 6
- Committeeman, Ward 7
- Committeeman, Ward 8
- Committeewoman, Ward 8
- Committeeman, Ward 9
- Committeeman, Ward 10
- Committeewoman, Ward 10
- Committeeman, Ward 11
- Committeewoman, Ward 14
- Committeeman, Ward 19
- Committeeman, Ward 20
- Committeewoman, Ward 20
- Committeeman, Ward 23
- Committeeman, Ward 26
- Committeeman, Ward 27
The other Committeeman/Committeewoman seats in the Democratic party either had zero or one candidate as of March 14th.
Republicans have one candidate for Committeeman in each of the following Wards: 7th, 8th, 16th, & 23rd. Greens have one candidate for Committeeman in each of the following Wards: 8th, 20th, 24th, 26th, 28th; Committeewoman in: 20th. Again, the above is all based on the March 14th filing report.
St. Louis has 28 wards. Following the 2020 Census, the number of wards will be cut in half.
The following are the five items on the April 5th ballot, see official sample ballot:
PROPOSITION E
Shall the earnings tax of 1%, imposed by the City of St. Louis, be continued for a period of five (5) years commencing January 1 immediately following the date of this election?
PROPOSITION F
Shall the following be adopted:
Proposition to issue bonds of the City of St. Louis, Missouri, in an amount not to exceed Twenty-Five Million Dollars ($25,000,000) for the purpose of purchasing, replacing, improving, and maintaining the buildings, bridges, and equipment of the City of St. Louis, including (1) acquiring fire trucks, ambulances, personal protective equipment, and other fire-fighting apparatus for the St. Louis Fire Department; (2) acquiring refuse trucks for the Refuse Department; (3) updating computer hardware and software for City departments; (4) providing match share funds to repair, renovate, and replace bridges; (5) renovating recreation centers, buildings, and facilities owned by the City of St. Louis; and (6) for expenses associated with the issuance of the bonds. If this proposition is approved, the property tax levy is estimated to remain unchanged.
PROPOSITION 1
Shall the Special Administrative Board of the Transitional School District of the City of St. Louis be authorized to increase the operating tax levy of the District by $0.75 per $100 of assessed valuation to continue offering early childhood education, to expand character and alternative education options, to improve safety and security equipment and personnel, and to offer competitive salaries to teachers and staff? If this proposition is approved, the adjusted operating tax levy of the District is estimated to be $4.50 per $100 of assessed valuation.
PROPOSITION Y
To comply with federal and state clean water requirements, shall The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) issue its sewer revenue bonds in the amount of Nine Hundred Million Dollars ($900,000,000) for the purpose of designing, constructing, improving, renovating, repairing, replacing and equiping new and existing MSD sewer and drainage facilities and systems, including sewage treatment and disposal plants, sanitary sewers, and acquisition of easements and real property related thereto, the cost of operation and maintenance of said facilities and systems and the principal of and interest on said revenue bonds to be payable solely from the revenues derived by MSD from the operation of its wastewater sewer system, including all future extensions and improvements thereto?
PROPOSITION S
Shall the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) impose a Stormwater Operations and Maintenance property tax upon all real and tangible personal property within the district at a rate of not more than Ten Cents ($0.10) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) assessed valuation for the purpose of providing revenue for the operations of the district’s stormwater utility, including stormwater system operation and maintenance, rehabilitation and limited construction of infrastructure and other capital improvements, and an operating reserve?
If this proposition is approved, MSD will repeal (a) the existing stormwater operations and maintenance property tax of approximately Seven Cents ($0.07) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) assessed valuation that is imposed on property within the original boundaries of MSD, as defined in the MSD Charter, and within the annexed areas described in MSD Ordinance No. 3753, and (b) the existing monthly 24-Cent or 18-Cent stormwater service charge that is imposed on each MSD customer account. As a result, a uniform districtwide stormwater revenue system for operations, maintenance, and limited capital improvements will be in place.
Absentee voting on the above issues began on the 14th! The first is easy — we must continue the earnings tax for at least another five years. I need to give more thought to the other four.
In addition to April & August, some are already preparing to run for Alderman next March — odd-numbered wards are up for reelection.
— Steve Patterson
Today is presidential primary day in Missouri, Illinois, Florida, Ohio, and North Carolina. As you vote today you’ll see names of people who’ve dropped out of the race, plus names you’ve never heard of before — plus “uncommitted.”
