Campaign Blog Launched

I’m pleased to announce that the latest news for my campaign will be presented in a blog format. I will keep voters, volunteers, contributers and the public informed of happenings and appearances via this space.

I will also be discussing various issues in greater detail here as well. I will demonstrate to the voters that I am a thinking candidate – I will bring up issues and offer solutions. The comments section will be an opportunity for the public to tell me if I am on tract or not. Public feedback to aldermen is a key component that is missing from our current system.

Part of the reason I decided on 25thward.com as my website address is because I think this will serve me well once elected to office. Through this website address I will be able to keep the residents of the 25th Ward informed of hot issues, public meetings, request feedback on upcoming decisions. Making use of current technology will just be one way of being an effective alderman.

The countdown to March 8th begins!

– Steve

Patterson for Alderman Website Launched Today!

Today I launched my campaign website – www.25thward.com – which includes information about me, the issues, voter registration information and a page on how you can participate by volunteering and/or contributing.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Let Us Turn Our Thoughts Today to Martin Luther King

The following is one of my favorite works about Dr. King:

Let us turn our thoughts today
To Martin Luther King
And recognize that there are ties between us
All men and women
Living on the earth
Ties of hope and love
Sister and brotherhood
That we are bound together
In our desire to see the world become
A place in which our children
Can grow free and strong
We are bound together
By the task that stands before us
And the road that lies ahead
We are bound and we are bound

If you are a fan of singer/songwriter James Taylor you know those words from his song “Shed a Little Light (iTunes link).” His words echo what I think King symbolizes – “hope and love”, “sister and brotherhood”, “all men and women.”

A very relevant part of his song is “We are bound together/by the task that stands before us/and the road that lies ahead.” The road that lies ahead is Martin Luther King Blvd which runs from downtown to the city limits. The task is returning this street to an important part of the community – a street worthy of its name. We are all bound to this task because we cannot rebuild our city by continuing to ignore the north side.
… Continue Reading

Questions for Candidates

Late last year I thought my only involvement in the coming election would be to ask all the candidates questions which would hopefully serve to educate them on phrases such as ‘transit oriented development’ and ‘smart growth.’ All could benefit from hearing a quote from Jane Jacobs or James Howard Kunstler as part of a question.

But, as a candidate for the Board of Aldermen in the 25th Ward it seem inappropriate for me to act like an impartial citizen. Therefore, I won’t be sending out a questionnaire to all the candidates. Of course, nothing is stopping someone else from surveying candidates on their views of eminent domain, suburban sprawl, big box developments, mass transit, and historic preservation. Hint, hint – wink, wink.

List of candidates…

– Steve

Candidate Files for 25th Ward Aldermanic Seat!

I have it on very good authority that a candidate has filed today, the last day, for the 25th Ward Aldermanic seat against incumbent Dorothy Kirner. And how do I know this?

The candidate is me. Yes, I have decided to run for the St. Louis Board of Alderman. In the coming days I will set up my campaign committee, website, etc… If you would be interested in volunteering email me privately. If you’d like to offer some feedback, suggestions, endorsements, feel free to use the comments section below.

Also of interest is a fourth candidate in the race for Mayor. Willie Marshall filed yesterday afternoon as a Green Party candidate. Today is the deadline for filing.

For the list of candidates click here.

– Steve