Sunday Poll: Should Missouri Eliminate Personal property Taxes?

It’s that time of year. Holiday parties, sure. But I’m talking about personal property taxes. Our bill is on our fridge with a calendar reminder. We pay online so we can wait until the last minute.

Our bill is significantly higher than previously because of the newer used car we bought in 2018.

At present, Missouri residents pay a yearly property tax on their vehicles. State Senator Bill Eigel from St. Charles County wants to put an end to that practice.

“I’ve been getting lots of feedback from my constituents, not only in St. Charles but around the St. Louis area, that are talking about the burden placed on households for having to pay for personal property tax on vehicles for a single year,” he said.

When the lawmakers go back to session in Jefferson City on January 8, Eigel said he will be working to get his bill out of committee and passed through the legislature so Missouri residents can vote on it. (Fox2)

This is the subject of today’s poll.

This poll will close at 8pm tonight.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Will Missouri Go Red or Blue In The 2020 General Election?

Missouri’s Presidential Preference Primary is less than 100 days away, on Tuesday March 10, 2020. We don’t yet know who the Democrats will nominate at the end of their convention in July 2020, in Milwaukee, WI.

A number of states aren’t even holding a GOP primary, but Missouri’s GOP primary ballot will have at least one other name besides Trump’s. Still, it’s safe to assume Donald J. Trump will get the GOP nomination at their late August 2020 convention in Charlotte, NC.

Today’s poll question isn’t about the primaries, but about the general election on November 3, 2020. In 2016 Missouri’s 10 Electoral College votes were Red (Trump).

This poll will close at 8pm tonight. My thoughts and results on Wednesday morning.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Should Red-Light Cameras Return To St. Louis?

Last week we heard the city is interested in bringing back red-light cameras:

We haven’t seen red-light cameras in St. Louis for a few years, but now the city is considering bringing them back — and the tickets that come with them.

“We’re looking for a tool that can help us save lives,” Director of Operations Todd Waelterman said.

He said police are short-staffed and have too much on their plate, so they’re exploring other options to make the streets safer. (KSDK)

This is the subject of today’s poll.

This poll will close at 8pm tonight. More information, my thoughts, and results Wednesday morning.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Should the Size of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen Stay at 28 or be cut to 14?

St. Louis voters have made some  notoriously bad decisions at the polls — the 1876 “divorce” from St. Louis County topping the list, the 1916 pro-segregation vote a close second.

Back in 2012, city voters passed a measure cutting the Wards and Aldermen in half to 14. The measure takes effect in 2022. Mayor Lyda Krewson opposes a re-vote; she already threatened to veto a similar bill last year. (Fox2)

Some think the 2012 measure was another bad decision, while others think having a new vote to reverse that outcome would be a bad decision.

This is the subject of today’s poll:

This poll will close at 8pm tonight, my thoughts and results on Wednesday.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: St. Louis’ New Gun Background Check Bill Good or Bad Legislation?

Friday the St. Louis Board of Aldermen sent a bill to Mayor Krewson, who’s expected to sign it.

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen passed a bill that requires licensed gun dealers to tell police if someone trying to purchase a gun fails a federal background check.

Bill 106 is a public safety legislation for failed background checks for firearm purchases. According to the Board of Aldermen, the City of St. Louis has become the first city in the U.S. to pass such a law.

The bill, sponsored by President Lewis Reed, will establish reporting requirements for licensed firearm dealers. The legislation requires the dealer to report when a firearm purchase is denied from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. The new law will prohibit people who attempt to buy guns and fail the background check from creating a serious public safety threat. (KSDK)

Board Bill 106, introduced on September 13th, can be found here.

To come up with today’s poll question I read lots of comments on  articles about this posted on news site Facebook pages. Yes, the poll question isn’t the same as the headline.

As always, this poll will close at 8pm tonight. My thoughts, still unclear to me at this point, and the results Wednesday morning.

— Steve Patterson