Sunday Poll: Is Doug Vaughn Right About St. Louis’ Riverfront?

After technical difficulties with the poll software last week I’ve added a new plugin to display the polls. This week it should work fine. Should…

In a trio of segment KMOV’s Doug Vaughn has commented on the St. Louis riverfront — both immediately North & South of the Arch ground. In short, he feels the large vacant buildings, old train trestle, etc are eyesores that should be razed.

I couldn’t find a way to get the videos to display within this post, but the three Doug Unplugged videos I’m talking about are linked below:

1. Urban Decay
2. We can preserve historic buildings and still revitalize the riverfront
3. Clean up the eyesores

Please watch the above videos and then vote in today’s poll:

This poll will close automatically at 8pm tonight. Wednesday I’ll share my thoughts on this subject.

— Steve Patterson

Technical Issues Yesterday; One Year Anniversary of Kiener Plaza This Coming Saturday

Yesterday something went haywire, crashing the site. When it did work the poll didn’t appear. I’ve pulled yesterday’s post since only two readers were able to vote.

I’ll have a new post on Friday, my usual on new Board Bills being introduced at the Board of Aldermen. If all goes well I’ll attempt to have yesterday’s poll question on Sunday the 20th.

In the meantime, this coming Saturday is the one year anniversary since Kiener Plaza reopened. I’ve been a few times, I need to return and photograph areas to see how the trees have matured.

Here’s a couple of posts from May 2017:

• Remembering The Old Kiener Plaza
• A Look At The New Kiener Plaza (Photos & Videos)

Have a great week!

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: What Is The Ideal Number Of Wards/Aldermen For The City Of St. Louis?

In November 2012 voters approved Proposition R to reduce the number of wards from 28 to 14, based on the 2020 census. Recently a bill was introduced to the Board of Aldermen that, if passed, would ask voters to reverse their 2012 decision.

An ordinance submitting to the qualified voters of the City a proposed amendment to the Charter of the City to maintain the Board of Aldermen as body of twenty-eight Aldermen representing twenty-eight wards, and preventing its reduction beginning December 31, 2021, to a body of fourteen Aldermen representing fourteen wards as called for under Article I, Section 3 of the City Charter; providing for an election to be held for voting on the proposed amendment and the manner for the voting; and for the publication, certification, deposit, and recording of this ordinance; and containing an emergency clause. (Board Bill 25 summary)

As the approved change approaches the debate between all sides is ramping up their arguments. Lost in the back & forth is the question of what number of wards/aldermen is best for the city to address its problems — so today’s poll question:

For the purposes of this poll assume one alderman per ward. This poll will close tonight at 8pm.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Half a Century After the Fair Housing Act, Has Housing Discrimination Been Eliminated?

Half a century ago the Civil Rights Act of 1968 was signed into law by President Johnson. Included in the landmark legislation was a section known as the Fair Housing Act:

The Fair Housing Act (Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968) introduced meaningful federal enforcement mechanisms. It outlaws:

• Refusal to sell or rent a dwelling to any person because of race, color, disability, religion, sex, familial status, or national origin.
• Discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin in the terms, conditions or privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling.
• Advertising the sale or rental of a dwelling indicating preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, disability or national origin.
• Coercing, threatening, intimidating, or interfering with a person’s enjoyment or exercise of housing rights based on discriminatory reasons or retaliating against a person or organization that aids or encourages the exercise or enjoyment of fair housing rights.

When the Fair Housing Act was first enacted, it prohibited discrimination only on the basis of race, color, religion, and national origin. Sex was added as a protected characteristic in 1974. In 1988, disability and familial status (the presence or anticipated presence of children under 18 in a household) were added (further codified in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990). In certain circumstances, the law allows limited exceptions for discrimination based on sex, religion, or familial status. (Wikipedia)

Today’s poll is about housing discrimination.

As always. this poll will close automatically at 8pm tonight. My thoughts and the non-scientific results on Wednesday.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Was the Greitens Affair Consensual?

Last week a special House committee released a report on its investigation into the affair Eric Greitens had before he became Missouri’s governor:

He blindfolded and bound a woman to exercise equipment, spanked her, and tried to kiss her without her consent.

Those are among the scandalous allegations against Gov. Eric Greitens of Missouri that were released in a legislative report on Wednesday that has put the first-term Republican governor’s political future in deep trouble.

The report, the result of a House committee’s weekslong investigation into an extramarital affair that the governor admitted he had before he took office, has led to intense, bipartisan calls for him to step down. Mr. Greitens, however, insisted that he would not resign. (New York Times)

Here’s a quote relating to one aspect — consent:

While Greitens has described the extramarital relations as “consensual,” the woman, referred to only as Witness 1 in the report, said it included unwanted and potentially coerced sexual acts that she felt afraid to say no to and physical violence, in addition to the threat of photographic blackmail. (Washington Post)

Today’s poll is about this issue of consent. We’ve got two diametrically opposite stories on the subject — she claims it wasn’t consensual, Greitens says it was. .

This non-scientific poll will close at 8pm tonight. My thoughts on the subject on Wednesday.

— Steve Patterson