Poll: Who Should Be Elected Treasurer for the City of St. Louis in 2012

Nationally the battle for the GOP presidential nomination is ongoing but locally we will soon see a fight for the county-level office of treasurer. Monday last week I blogged that Larry Williams Should Not Seek Another Term as Treasurer. Williams has been in office over 30 years and so far he’s said he is going to run again.

This election can potentially have a big impact on the future of St. Louis. The candidates will be debating parking policy, related urban policy, financial management and possibly the idea of changing the city’s charter.

The poll question this week asks who should be elected treasurer in 2012. I’ve listed Williams and the three candidates that have announced so far: Ald Fred Wessels, City Democrat head Brian Wahby and State Rep Tishaura Jones. I’ve also included a choice for an “undeclared candidate.”

- Steve Patterson

Poll: Should Missouri Require Seatbelt Use For Back-seat Passengers?

ABOVE: Steve Patterson buckled up in the backseat of his car

Each new year brings new laws and 2012 was no exception. Residents on the east side of the region now face a stricter seatbelt law:

Illinois is the latest state to require back-seat passengers to buckle up. Twenty-five other states and the District of Columbia require all rear-seat occupants to wear seat belts, according to IIHS. All states except New Hampshire mandate belt use by front-seat occupants. (USA Today)

I’ve long been a seatbelt advocate, always requiring my passengers to buckle up. In the backseat of other’s cars I wear the seatbelt. But not everyone does and now Illinois is the latest state to require backseat passengers to buckle up, the goal to save lives. But some may see this as government going too far.

It was hard to find a good summary of Missouri’s existing seatbelt law, the following pertains to kids:

Missouri car seat safety laws require children under age four and under 40 pounds to ride in a federally approved child car seat that is appropriate for the child’s age and size. Children ages 4 through 7 who weigh more than 40 pounds but less than 80 pounds or are not at least 4’9″ tall must ride in an appropriate child car seat or booster seat. Children ages 8 to 18 must wear a seat belt. Missouri law also prohibits children under age 18 from riding in an unenclosed truck bed. (About.com)

According to Wikipedia Missouri requires people in front seats to wear seat belts. The poll question this week asks if Missouri should require seatbelt use for back-seat passengers.

- Steve Patterson

Best & Worst of 2011: World Series Win and Population Loss

Last week I had two separate polls asking readers to pick what they thought were the best & worst things to happen to St. Louis in 2011.

BEST

No surprise, the Cardinals 11th World Series win was the top pick among the best things to happen to St. Louis in 2011.

ABOVE: The Cardinals won game 7 on October 28, 2011, defeating the Rangers 6-2

I’m not a sports fan but the civic pride after such an event is contagious. The second place item was the reopening of the Kiel as the Peabody Opera House after being shuttered for two decades.

ABOVE: The main auditorium is a beautiful space, the ceiling lights can change colors

I never saw the interior before the reopening, I was blown away by the beauty of the 1934 structure. Welcome back Kiel..er, Peabody. Here are the final results.

Q: Best thing to happen to STL in 2011 (pick up to 3)

1. Cardinals win their 11th World Series 90 [28.48%]
2. Kiel reopened as the Peabody Opera House 79 [25%]
3. Most public places became smoke-free 61 [19.3%]
4. Independent Scott Ogilvie elected to Board of Aldermen 20 [6.33%]
5. Pevely Dairy saved from demo 19 [6.01%]
6. Flying saucer (aka Del Taco) saved from demo 15 [4.75%]
7. Population loss not as much as in previous decades 13 [4.11%]
8. Cupples 7 saved from demo, although still at risk of collapse 7 [2.22%]
9. Other: 5 [1.58%]
10. Cardinals sign Carlos Beltran to 2-year deal 3 [0.95%]
11. Taxi stand removed from sidewalk in front of convention center 2 [0.63%]
12. Rams sold to Stan Kroenke 2 [0.63%]

The five other answers were:

1. Got a new job
2. Dorsa Lofts Sold Out
3. live music scene in STL is still AWESOME!!
4. DEL TACO, CUPPLES, AND PEVELY SAVED ; D
5. climbed the ladder to 3rd most dangerous city, Watch out Warez, your next!

Uh, okay.

WORST

The worst of vote also wasn’t a surprise, readers felt the population loss of nearly 29,00 residents on the 2010 Census was a downer.  The bad news came in late February 2011, as the US Census Bureau began to release 2010 figures for individual cities.  St. Louis’ official 2010 population was 319,294 versus 348,189 in 2000.

Q: Worst thing to happen to STL in 2011 (pick up to 3)

1. Population loss rather than gain 91 [37.14%]
2. Bob Cassilly died 74 [30.2%]
3. Albert Pujohls left St. Louis 31 [12.65%]
4. Redistricting 23 [9.39%]
5. Other: 10 [4.08%]
6. Most public places became smoke-free 9 [3.67%]
7. Rams sold to Stan Kroenke 7 [2.86%]

The ten other answers were:

1. we still have to many aldermen
2. Smoking by-law was much to weak. Should have been complete ban everywhere.
3. Aerostoplis didnt pass
4. Occupy Kiener Plaza
5. Continued deterioration in North City without a plan from the Mayor/Aldermen
6. Missouri’s special session dropped the China Hub and local control
7. Metro area homicides
8. Hostile state government: threats to tax credits, etc.
9. Add as a poll answer
10. tornados
11. Status quo remains unchanged

No doubt 2012 will bring both good & bad news for St. Louis. Let’s just  work to make the good more frequent and significant than the bad!

- Steve Patterson

Readers Not Fully Prepared For A Catastrophe

ABOVE: Earthquake reinforcement under I-64/Hwy 40

No surprise that readers aren’t fully prepared for a catastrophe, I know I’m not prepared at all — unless you count a rechargeable LED flashlight. Here are the results from the poll last week:

Q: How prepared are you for a major catastrophe?

1. Not prepared at all 19 [41.3%]
2. Mildly prepared 13 [28.26%]
3. Somewhat prepared 12 [26.09%]
4. Very prepared 1 [2.17%]
5. Other: 1 [2.17%] (yes, I do have a zombie survival plan)

Our federal government has an informative site you might find helpful:

Ready.gov has a variety of publications for download covering various topics about planning and preparation for disasters and emergencies.

Check it out.

- Steve Patterson

Talking 2011 Tonight on KDHX

I’ll be DJ Wilson’s guest on Collateral Damage (KDHX 88.1FM) tonight from 8:30pm-9pm (CST), talking about stories from 2011. If you are outside KDHX listening  area you can tune in online.

- Steve Patterson

Two Polls This Week: Best & Worst Thing to Happen to St. Louis in 2011

It’s the last week of the year and I’ve got two polls, the best & worst thing to happen to St. Louis in 2011.
You are allowed to pick up to three answers in each poll. A few answers appear on both polls because some may see them differently. Of course you can write in an answer as well.

The polls are in the right sidebar.

- Steve Patterson

Poll: How Prepared Are You For a Catastrophe?

Friday was the two-hundred year anniversary of the New Madrid earthquake and many think another is due. Missouri experienced devastating tornados and flooding in 2011. Writing the post for last friday (New Madrid Earthquake Two Centuries Ago) I realized I’m not prepared for a catastrophe.

Did you know only 2 in every 10 Americans feel prepared for a major disaster? Emergencies and disasters can strike quickly and without warning. The best way to make your families, employees and homes safer is to be prepared before disaster strikes. The Red Cross is here to help your group get prepared.

The St. Louis Area Chapter offers emergency preparedness education programs for people of all ages. Each year, tens of thousands of St. Louis area residents take part in these presentations at schools, businesses and community events.

It is the Red Cross’ mission to help the community prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters. A disaster can strike at any moment, the Red Cross wants to show you and your family how to be ready. (St. Louis Red Cross)

The poll question this week asks how prepared you are for a catastrophe.

- Steve Patterson

Poll: Changes To Voluntary Ban Policy Good or Bad?

ABOVE: River City Casino in south St. Louis County

Recent changes regarding gambling in Missouri:

Regulators voted unanimously to relax the state’s voluntary exclusion program, allowing people who have chosen to bar themselves for life from Missouri casinos to have the prohibition lifted after at least five years. People could opt to rejoin the banned list later, but it would mean a lifetime prohibition. (KMOV)

Is this a good thing? The argument in support is more might be willing to ban themselves if they know it would be lifted in five years.

I know casinos are no place for me but this seemed like a good poll topic.

- Steve Patterson

Poll: Thoughts on On-Street Parking Downtown

The expectation of drivers to get free parking amuses me. You think the you don’t end up paying for the massive parking garages at malls like The Galleria & West County Center?

ABOVE: On-street parking on Locust across from Macy's, just before meters were installed

Parking downtown is very cheap but still some advocate completely free parking on the street.  The argument is downtown must compete with the malls and big box centers. Really? They are different animals. Downtown isn’t going to win big box shoppers and  the mall isn’t going to win the person seeking character & history. We could pay someone to park but the Bed, Bath & Beyond shopper still wouldn’t come downtown.

ABOVE: Metered parking on 10th Street

Now that we are into the holiday shopping season I figured downtown on-street parking is a good poll topic. The poll is in the right sidebar.

- Steve Patterson

So Much To Be Thankful For

Today I will be with friends I spend every thanksgiving with, enjoying homemade food and cosmopolitans (it’s our traditional drink as we cook).

ABOVE: A close friend's homemade stuffing served in a roasted pumpkin, Thanksgiving 2010

I have much to be thankful for this year:

• The increasing number of urbanists fighting to keep others (Biondi, etc) from further destroying the city, giving me hope for the future.
• Starting my 8th year blogging. My longest time at jobs has been about five years (about two longer than I should have stayed), so to still love what I’m doing after 7 years is thrilling & rewarding.
• Very thankful for my family of friends in St. Louis.
• And finally, I’m still alive! It’s been nearly four years since I had my stroke. I couldn’t get to my phone to call 911 and I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to survive. Going through that thought in your mind is life changing. The memory of that time and therapy will stay with me until the day I actually die. In the meantime, I’m going to do my best to encourage positive change in St. Louis.

- Steve Patterson