Mr. Smith Goes to Leavenworth

Five years ago Jeff Smith came in second place out of 10 candidates in the Democratic primary for U.S. Congress.  He was a rising star.  So much so a documentary was made about that campaign for Congress.  The film, Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington, Anymore?, was released in 2006:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6x_I6Bm8gE

In 2006 Smith was elected to the Missouri State Senate in another crowded election.

But it turns out he had knowledge of  a campaign violation from the 2004 Congressional campaign .  He lied twice about his knowledge of the violation.  From his statement issued yesterday as he resigned his seat:

During my 2004 Congressional race, I became aware of an independent effort to produce two mailers to benefit my campaign. Federal campaign finance law prohibits specific coordination between a campaign and anyone preparing an independent expenditure.

When the independent operator requested funding, I authorized a close friend to raise money for the effort, and my press secretary provided public information about my opponent’s voting record. I withheld my knowledge of these facts during the Federal Election Commission’s 2004 investigation, misleading investigators and filing a false affidavit.  (Source)

The lie is often worse than the deed.  Just ask Martha Stewart.

Jeff Smith represented the 4th District in the Missouri Senate (green below):

I live in the 5th District, represented by Robin Wright-Jones who was elected in 2008, replacing Maida Coleman who had been term limited out of office.  So Jeff Smith was not my Senator.  Still, knowing him, I’m disappointed.

Will he go to Leavenworth?  Probably not, but it made for a good headline.  Smith will likely spend some time in a white collar prison.  We will know after he and others are sentenced on November 10, 2009.

The FBI press release has all the facts in a no-nonsense way you’d expect from the FBI.

– Steve Patterson

City of St. Louis Back in St. Louis County

I don’t quite understand it, in last weeks poll 45% of you felt the most important non-project for St. Louis was to rejoin St. Louis County as the 92nd municipality.  Most assumptions about the city rejoining the county have the city limits unchanged.  What changes is the boundaries of St. Louis County.

The main advantage for the city & county would be the elimination of duplicate “county” offices.  Although I’m not sure St. Louis County’s systems & personnel could handle the addition of the city so the duplication could not fully be eliminated. With separate courts, property records and marriage licenses since 1876 merging these into one would be a major task.  Counties throughout the country often have more than one judicial center so I could see both remaining in operation.

The option I didn’t give you in the poll would be better and even more unlikely — a single unified city-county merger.  All the 91 municipalities in St. Louis County would get wrapped together in a single unit of government along with the City of St. Louis and currently unincorporated areas of St. Louis County.  93 government entities would become one.

Economically depressed Wellston might like the idea but well to do Ladue would never go for it.  But one unit of government for the area known as the City of St. Louis & St. Louis County makes the most sense.

Perhaps getting the city back into the county is the first step?  Studying the various ways these mergers have been accomplished is of course an important step.  There is no single way to “merge” the city back into the county. Each will have a long list of pros & cons.  Just being one of too many county municipalities doesn’t appeal to me.

– Steve Patterson

Why Does the Board of Aldermen Need a Summer Vacation?

On Friday, July 10th, the Board of Alderman held their last meeting before their summer recess. They’ll reconvene for their next general meeting in a little over two months, on September 18th. In the days before air conditioning, I could see where such a break might serve a real purpose. But given the challenges the city continues to face, I’m not quite sure what purpose a two-month break serves today, in the 21st century. Most every other city or local government unit that I’m aware of continues their regular meeting schedule year-round. And it’s not like our aldermen are having to trek over to Jefferson City and be away from their families for weeks or months, they’re only going downtown! Yeah, I know it’s how things have been done for decades, and change doesn’t happen quickly around here, but I was wondering if I’m the only one that views this as not-so-quaint. Or, are we just better off keeping our legislators away from legislating?

Apparently, one big challenge is that the BoA chambers are not air-conditioned.  I know, I know, putting in air conditioning would be politically problematic – it would probably cost $100,000 and the aldermen would be getting something “special” during trying economic times.  But we may be being penny wise and pound foolish.  We’re maintaining a part-time legislature, and if they’re able to accomplish what they need to in 10 months, then maybe it’s a non-issue.  But much like buying our Police air-conditioned patrol cars, I’d expect that more would be accomplished if the BoA were able to meet 12 months a year.  If nothing else, there’d be fewer excuses for the glacial pace most board bills follow . . .

– Jim Zavist

Boards and Commissions in the City of St. Louis

On Twitter Mayor Slay has been asking for interested parties to speak up if interested in serving on a local board or commission.  One recent tweet:

Wonder if Chuck Norris would like to serve on a City board/commission. (If YOU would, email wahbyr@stlouiscity.com and tell her.) 6:51 PM Jul 12th from web

The following are the boards & commissions in the City of St. Louis or regional boards where our Mayor gets to appoint some of the members:

1. 620 Market Transportation Development District
2. Adjustment, Board of
3. Adult Welfare Services, Board of
4. Affordable Housing Commission
5. Aging, Advisory Council on
6. Air Pollution and Variance Review, Board of
7. Airport Commission, City
8. Art Museum Subdistrict
9. Baden Market Centre Special Business District
10. Broadway Hotel Transportation Development District
11. Bryan Mullanphy Emigrant and Travelers Relief Fund, Board of Commissioners of the
12. Building Appeals, Board of
13. Cathedral Square Special Business District
14. CB5421/5975 Transportation Development District
15. Central West End North Special Business District
16. Central West End South Business District Commission
17. Central West End Southeast Special Business District
18. Charity Solicitations Commission
19. Cherokee-Lemp Special Business Districts
20. Citizens Advisory Committee for Capital Expenditure
21. Civil Rights Enforcement Commission, St. Louis
22. Civil Service Commission
23. Convention and Sports Complex Authority, St. Louis Regional Convention and Visitors Commission (CVC)
24. Crime and Law Enforcement,
25. Commission on Decent Literature Commission
26. Demolition Contractors Board
27. Developmental Disabilities Resources Commission (DD Resources)
28. Disabled, Advisory Council on the
29. Downtown Economic Stimulus Authority of the City of St. Louis (MODESA)
30. Downtown Parks Business District
31. Downtown Saint Louis Business District
32. East-Loop/Parkview Gardens Special Business District
33. Electrical Examiners, Committee of
34. Enhanced Enterprise Zone
35. Enright/Arlington Community Improvement District
36. Equalization, Board of
37. Firemen’s Retirement System of Saint Louis, Board of Trustees
38. Forest Park Advisory Board
39. Fumigators, Board of Examiners
40. Gardenside Subdivision Special Business District
41. Health, Board of
42. History Museum Subdistrict
43. Hospitals, Board of
44. Housing Authority of St. Louis, Commissioners of the
45. Industrial Development Authority
46. Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority
47. Land Reutilization Authority
48. Library, Board of Directors St. Louis Public
49. Locust Central Business District
50. Loughborough Commons Community Improvement District
51. Mechanical Contractors, Board of Examiners
52. Mental Health Fund, Board of Trustees for the Community
53. Merchants and Manufactures Tax Equalization, Board of
54. Metro St. Louis HIV Health Services Planning Council
55. Metropolitan Park and Recreation District (Great Rivers Greenway)
56. Metropolitan Sewer Districts Board of Trustees
57. Metropolitan Zoological Park & Museum District Board (Cultural District)
58. Missouri Botanical Garden Subdistrict
59. Missouri St. Louis Metropolitan Airport Authority
60. Orpheum Theatre Community Improvement District
61. Philanthropic Organization, Inc., St. Louis
62. Planned Industrial Expansion Authority, Board of Commissioners of the
63. Planning Commission
64. Plumbers and Drainlayers, Board of Examiners of
65. Plumbing Review, Committee of
66. Police Retirement , Board of Trustees for the Maintenance and Admin. of the Alternative Sys. of
67. Port Authority Commission
68. Preservation Board
69. Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission
70. Regional Health Commission
71. REJIS Commission
72. Residence Inn Community Improvement District
73. Retirement System City of Saint Louis, Board of Trustees
74. Science Center Subdistrict, St. Louis
75. Soldiers’ Memorial Building Commission
76. Soulard Special Business District
77. Special Administrative Board (Transitional School District)
78. Sprinkler System Contractors, Board of Examiners
79. St. Louis Center for International Relations d/b/a WTC St. Louis
80. St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste Management District
81. Tax Appeals, Board of
82. Tax Increment Financing Commission
83. Taxicab Commission, Regional
84. Tower Grove South Concerned Citizens Special Business District
85. Transportation Development District
86. Washington Place Special Business District
87. Waterman/Lake Special Business District
88. Westminster/Lake Special Business District
89. Workforce Investment Board
90. Zoo Subdistrict

The list is as of 7/15/2009.  I received the list from my friend Seth Teel who got it from Robbyn Wahby, a staffer with Mayor Francis Slay.

Each of these 90 boards/commissions has guidelines about membership.  For example, the composition of the Preservation Board:

shall consist of eight voting members appointed by the Mayor, each of whom shall be a resident of the City and shall have demonstrated interest and ability in the preservation and enhancement of Structures and neighborhoods. Of the eight members appointed by the Mayor, at least two shall be registered architects, one shall be a practicing art or architectural historian, one shall be a practicing landscape architect or planner with experience in urban or civic design, one shall be a licensed real estate broker, one shall be a registered engineer and one shall be a citizen member of the Planning Commission.  In addition to the above, the Chairman of the Public Safety Committee of the Board of Aldermen of the City shall be a voting member of said Preservation Board and shall constitute the ninth (9th) voting member of said Preservation Board, and the only voting member not appointed by the Mayor of the City.

Of course finding out who currently serves on these boards and when their appointments expire is a major challenge.  If only we had a way to make this information available to everyone.  Some sort of central location where such information can be found. Printed and kept at the library?

Perhaps we can get the city’s website to advance beyond 1996 and actually provide the info we want to know.

The city’s website has those stupid building blocks with CIN on them — Community Information Network.  Don’t worry about the community, that is covered elsewhere.  Just cover the city government. Serving on such boards is part of civic duty but we need to have access to which boards exists, what they do and when vacancies need to be filled.  I invite each city resident to email Robbyn Wahby and let her know  you are interested in serving on one of the above.  Ask for the qualifications and when a vacancy needs to be filled.

If you don’t live in the City of St. Louis I suggest you look into similar boards & commissions in your own community.

– Steve Patterson

“We Are Barely Surviving”

“We are barely surviving” was the testimony of one bar owner on day one of hearings last week on Board Bill 46 to create a smoke-free St. Louis.  75% of her customers are smokers.   Her business is barely making it as it is.  Take away her smoking customers and she won’t survive.

During the 3 hours I was at the hearing she was just across the aisle from me.  Throughout the testimony of those speaking in favor og BB46 she’d say things like “stay home.”  Her bar targets 25% of the population and is barely getting by yet she wants non-smokers to stay home.  When your business is focused on a niche market but isn’t doing well, telling a bigger audience to stay home just seems like bad business.

Just as I will not step foot into an establishment that permits smoking I would imagine there is a group of smokers unwilling to go to a place were they can’t smoke indoors.  I’d imagine this being around 5% of both smokers and non-smokers.  Do smokers drink more than non-smokers?  Perhaps but I know many non-smokers that drink plenty.

But non-smokers don’t stay home, they just go to places that are not heavily smokey.  Again, I don’t go into spaces where smoking is permitted.  Two places I’d like to visit again, Tuckers & Joanies, have non-smoking sections upstairs over smoking areas.  Might as well make it all smoking because the air is the same. Pathetic.

Those restaurants that are viewed by smokers & non-smokers as a smoking establishment to the point that 75-90% of the customers are smokers likely will not survive when St. Louis or Missouri finally goes smoke-free.  They are going to hold onto that niche clientele until they go broke (lack of non-smoking customers) or the law says smoking is no longer permitted indoors.

If more than 25% of your customers smoke indoors you need to rethink your business plan.  Improve your outdoor options.  Begin preparing for the day when indoor smoking in public places in St. Louis is no longer permitted.  Or you can fight it and in a few years return to your old space to see what opened after your niche business closed.

The Board of Aldermen’s Heath & Human Services committee will continue hearings on BB46 at 1pm on July 9th in Room 208 in City Hall.

– Steve Patterson