An Open Letter To The St. Louis Board of Aldermen

Dear Board of Aldermen:

I appreciate your many years of pubic service, but after about 12 years that service changes to public disservice.  In my view, more than half of you have stayed around too long.

Let me explain my thinking.

To run for the Board of Aldermen you need to be 25 years old — born by 1985.  Alfred Wessels & Phyllis Young were both sworn into office in the Spring of 1985 (source). They’ve now been in office so long that a person born on the day they were sworn in is now qualified to run for their seats!

Young & Wessels were once the new folks coming in to change City Hall:

“Phyllis Young, the Democratic incumbent, was first elected in 1985 as a reform candidate against the old Webbe-Leisure organization that for decades controlled the ward, which now takes in downtown and neighborhoods just to the south. Her immediate predecessor, former Alderman Sorkis J. Webbe Jr., is serving a prison term on charges of vote fraud and obstruction of justice.”  (St. Louis Post-Dispatch March 23, 1989)

Each of you are all nice and have the best of intentions.  That said, by running for reelection ever four years you are not allowing a new group of leadership to emerge & grow in this city.

The following of you are up for reelection in March, and frankly, I’d like each and every one on this list to return to the Board of Election Commissioners and withdraw from the race:

1. Terry Kennedy (D-18, 1989)
2. Stephen Conway (D-8. 1990)
3. Craig Schmid (D-20, 1995)
4. Lyda Krewson (D-28, 1997)

And one more — Fred Heitert (R-12, 1979)  Yes the sole Republican on the Board of Aldermen will have served 32 years at the end of his current term.  32 years!  All the above need to step aside to let others be able to participate.

In 2013 the following shouldn’t seek another term:

1. Phyllis Young (D-7, 1985)
2. Alfred Wessels (D-13, 1985)
3. Joseph Roddy (D-17, 1988)
4. Freeman Bosley Sr (D-3, 1989)
5. Gregory Carter (D-27, 1993)
6. April Ford Griffin (D-5, 1997)
7. Matt Villa (D-11, 1997)
8. Dionne Flowers (D-2, 1999)
9. Ken Ortmann (D-9, 1999)
10. Jennifer Florida (D-15, 2001)

This is not personal, I believe we’d have less voter apathy and more citizen involvement in the community if people saw a chance for change, an opening to get involved.  Have you done good things for the city? Yes.  Would you continue doing good things for the city.  Probably so.  But each of you replaced someone just they replaced the person before them.  Is there risk we’d get someone we don’t like as well? Certainly, but we need to take that chance.  We must take that risk! So please, let three terms be your limit.  Don’t be a house guest that stays too long.

– Steve Patterson

Poll: Should Casinos Be Exempt From Smoke-Free Laws?

Casinos are not for me, even if they are smoke-free.  Since the first of 2008 casinos in Illinois have been smoke-free.  In July 2009 the St. Louis Federal Reserve released a study, No Ifs, Ands or Butts: Illinois Casinos Lost Revenue after Smoking Banned,  showing Illinois lost $200 million in 2008 and the local economies lost $12 million:

“One of the reasons that the smoking ban has been more contentious for casinos than for other types of businesses is the contribution that gambling taxes make to state and local tax revenue. In Illinois, casinos are subject to a per-capita admissions tax, as well as a progressive tax on gambling revenue. Revenue from these taxes is divided between the state government and the governments of the communities in which the casinos are located.”

When the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County passed smoke-free laws in 2009 both exempted casinos.

Now the Illinois legislature is considering exempting their casinos.

“Smoking could soon be allowed again in Illinois casinos. State legislators are considering changing the two-year-old law because casino profits and local revenues are being hit hard.” (KMOV)

For the poll this week I’m asking if casinos should be exempt from smoke-free laws.  I’ve included a range of answers but if one doesn’t fit you can fill in your own.  The poll is in the upper right corner of the blog.

– Steve Patterson

Readers Think Slay Will Be Elected To Fourth Term As Mayor in 2013

Last week readers indicated, in the weekly poll, that current 3-term mayor Francis Slay would be elected to a fourth term in office:

Q: Who do you think will be elected St. Louis Mayor in 2013?

1. Francis Slay 86 [46.74%]
2. Lewis Reed 42 [22.83%]
3. Other answer… 16 [8.7%]
4. Unsure/no opinion 12 [6.52%]
5. Michael McMillan 10 [5.43%]
6. One of the 28 aldermen 6 [3.26%]
7. Darlene Green 4 [2.17%]
8. Bill Haas 3 [1.63%]
9. Greg Daly 3 [1.63%]
10. Sharon Carpenter 1 [0.54%]
11. Maida Coleman 1 [0.54%]

No St. Louis mayor has ever been elected to four 4-year terms.  The last to run for a fourth term, Raymond Tucker, lost in March 1965 to Alfonso J. Cervantes.

The other answers provided by readers were:

1. Rex Sinquefeld
2. Jeanette Mott-Oxford
3. whoever wins the dem mayoral primary
4. Rex Sinquefield
5. steve patterson 🙂
6. You?
7. Nelly
8. Rainford
9. TERM LIMITS: We desperately need them in the city; city is doomed if no change
10. I think Lewis Reed should be elected mayor, but how should i know if he will?
11. Douglas Duckworth
12. Shane Cohn
13. Anyone but Bill Haas!
14. I HOPING anyone but FS. Time is up.
15. Who are these people? None are a Daley or Giuliani. or even John Nations
16. Antonio French

Prior to my February 2008 stroke I was plotting a run for mayor  — around 2019 at the age of 52.  I don’t see it happening now, physically or mentally.  I could see both Shane Cohn & Antonio French running for mayor at some point — but not 2013.

My prediction is Francis Slay will not seek a fourth term.  Given the budget issues facing the city he may want to escape before it gets too ugly.  Aldermanic President Lewis Reed’s leadership will be tested next year during redistricting.  When I asked Reed if he was running in 2013 he said he is focusing on 2011.  He didn’t say he wasn’t going to run.  I think Slay won’t but Reed will.  I don’t see McMillan running either, he is not a fan of contested races.

I think Lewis Reed will be elected the 46th mayor of St. Louis.  I’m not saying that is what I necessarily want to have happen, just how I see it going at this point.  But a lot can happen in two plus years.

– Steve Patterson

City Employee Parks City Vehicle Next To Fire Hydrant

If you or I parked blocking a fire hydrant it wouldn’t be long before our car was ticketed and towed away, resulting in big fees.  But a city employee driving a city-owned vehicle, it seems, can get away with doing what we can’t.

I’m sure it was just for a few minutes but anyone could use the same excuse.  The fact is the city isn’t going to ticket or tow away it’s own vehicle.  This employee likely didn’t face any disciplinary action for how they parked.  As a matter of policy, city employees operating city vehicles need to be held to the same standard as anyone else.

Some vehicles mention the department on the door but this one didn’t so I assume it is a pool vehicle that can be checked out as needed.  This makes me wonder, who manages the vehicles? What does the employee agree to when they check out a car?

– Steve Patterson

Readers Think Rex Sinquefield Will Fund Campaign To Repeal Earnings Tax

Readers think, by a wide margin, that voters in April 2011 will retain our 1% earnings tax.

Q: Now that voters approved Proposition A, what do you think will happen in St. Louis next April?

1. Rex Sinquefield funds an expensive campaign but city voters keep the earnings tax 87 [51.48%]
2. Rex Sinquefield doesn’t fund the repeal campaign and city voters keep the earnings tax 37 [21.89%]
3. Rex Sinquefield funds an expensive campaign and city voters repeal the earnings tax 21 [12.43%]
4. Rex Sinquefield doesn’t fund the repeal campaign still city voters repeal the earnings tax 15 [8.88%]
5. Unsure/no opinion 6 [3.55%]
6. Other answer… 3 [1.78%]

Many also think Rex Sinquefield will fund the repeal campaign, just as he did with the Proposition A campaign.

1. rex gets a nose job.
2. Rex tries to remove the KC tax first, since it was closer to passing there.
3. KC will eventually repeal, STL never will.

One thing is certain, the usually boring April general election will be more interesting than usual.

– Steve Patterson