To end 2012 on a positive note I asked you, the readers, to vote last week on the best of 2012. The passage of Prop R to reduce the size of the Board of Aldermen after the 2020 census and the reopening of the Central Library tied for the top spot. Rounding out the top 5 was the fact that Missouri voters approved the measure to let St. Louis control its own police department (the Civil War must really be over), the new Grand viaduct/bridge opening, and that a modern streetcar line is being studied to run through downtown out to Midtown and beyond.
Here’s the full results:
ABOVE: The glass wall behind Central Library’s Locust St circulation desk was made from the old glass floors in the 7-story stacks area
Q: Best things to happen to STL in 2012 (pick up to 5)
Prop R to reduce the Board of Aldermen approved by STL voters 72 {12.88%]
St. Louis Central Library reopened 72 [12.88%]
Local control of police approved by Missouri voters 44 [7.87%]
New Grand viaduct/bridge opened 40 [7.16%]
Downtown Partnership studying a modern streetcar line 39 [6.98%]
Metropolitan Bldg opened as artist lofts in Midtown/Grand Center 38 [6.8%]
Union Station sold to new owners 34 [6.08%]
St. Louis Public Radio (KWMU) relocated to Midtown/Grand Center 30 [5.37%]
City shut down riverfront homeless camps 24 [4.29%]
Starbucks at the Saucer opened 22 [3.94%]
Washington Ave so popular crowd control becomes necessary 21 [3.76%]
AAA to use round former HQ rather than raze it 20 [3.58%]
SLU faculty & student groups vote no confidence in Biondi 20 [3.58%]
Larry Williams decided not to run for another term as STL treasurer 18 [3.22%]
Rams fired Spagnuolo as head coach 14 [2.5%]
Bike parking ordinance enacted 13 [2.33%]
SLU gets approval to raze Pevely building 7 [1.25%]
Anti-eminent domain sign wins in court 7 [1.25%]
MSD bond issue passed 7 [1.25%]
Cigarette tax-hike proposition failed in Missouri 6 [1.07%]
Other: 6 [1.07%]
Last part of Highway 141 opened 3 [0.54%]
Sam Dotson named new police chief 2 [0.36%]
The opening of the Metropolitan in Midtown almost made the top 5, glad to see so many agree that getting residential in the area is a very positive thing. Hopefully 2013 will bring us many more positives to reflect on a year from now.
With the 2012 presidential election barely behind us, St. Louis’ spring 2013 election season has started. Candidates began filing on November 26th, the first was Francis Slay filing for an unprecedented fourth term for mayor.
ABOVE: The St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners is on the first floor at 300 N. Tucker (@ Olive)
The list of candidates posted on the St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners website includes filings only from the first two days, November 26-27. Republican Director Gary Stoff confirmed yesterday morning their list of candidates is current, no additional candidates have filed. See the list online or archived.
Here’s the offices and my early take:
MAYOR
As mentioned above, Francis Slay filed to run for a fourth four-year term as mayor. Raymond Tucker is our only mayor to seek a 4th tern, he lost to Alfonso J. Cervantes in 1965. Cervantes was a former President of the Board Aldermen, though not at the time he ran against Tucker.
Current President of the Board of Aldermen, Lewis Reed, also filed to run for mayor. Will Reed be able to keep Slay from a fourth term? A 3rd candidate also filed to run for mayor in the democratic primary: Jimmie Matthews.
COMPTROLLER
Darlene Green was unchallenged in early filing for another term as Comptroller, a position she’s held for four terms.
1ST WARD
Incumbent Charles Quincy Troupe was first elected in 2005, he’s seeking a third term.
3RD WARD
Notably absent from initial filing is that of incumbent Freeman Bosley Sr. Next spring will mark the end of his 6th term in office so perhaps he’s decided 24 years is enough. A Maxine Johnson is the only candidate filed so far.
5TH WARD
Incumbent Tammika Hubbard easily won a 3-way special election earlier this year after April Ford-Griffin resigned to take a job with the city. But Hubbard hasn’t filed for reelection to a full term. Michelle Hutchings-Medina, however, has filed for the seat.
I’ve met Hutchings-Medina a couple of times in the last year and I’ve been very impressed by her character . I’m not going to make any endorsements until after filing closes in January but as a voter in the 5th ward she has my early support.
6TH WARD (SPECIAL ELECTION)
Kacie Starr Triplett surprised many recently when she resigned her seat to take a private job. The position of alderman is part-time so many have full-time employment. But one must have a job with the flexibility to spend some time in city hall during the week.
So far two candidates have filed for the March 5th Democratic primary; Christine Ingrassia and Damon A. Jones.
7TH WARD
Phyllis Young is finishing up her 7th term as alderman of the 7th ward — that’s 28 years! For many voters she’s been in office their entire lives. Young has filed for an 8th term in office and as you might expect, nobody is challenging her.
9TH WARD
Ken Ortmann was first elected in 1999, presumably to finish the tern of the prior alderman. He was reelected in 2001, 2005, and 2009. To my knowledge, he’s not faced an opponent in the primary or general.
11TH WARD
For the first time in many years voters may not see the name Villa on the ballot. Matt Villa resigned a couple of years ago to focus more attention to the family business, his uncle Tom Villa won the special election to finish the term. Albert “Red” Villa was alderman from 1953-1990.
The only candidate filed so far is Eddie Tucker, owner of Tucker’s Bar and Grill on south Broadway (not to be confused with Tucker’s Place in Soulard).
13TH WARD
Like Phyllis Young, Fred Wessels is finishing his 7th term as alderman in the 13th ward. Also like Young, he’s a very nice person. To his credit, Wessels ran for the citywide office of treasurer earlier this year, coming in a close second in a hotly contested 4-way race. Politicians should not be reelected time and again due to a lack of a challenger. A lack of a challenger is not a victory, it’s a failure of democracy.
15TH WARD
Jennifer Florida has been another of the aldermen to be reelected due to a lack of a challenger but 2013 will be a different. Florida, seeking a fourth term, will face Lisa Miller in the Democratic primary. I recently met Miller and I think she’ll be a strong challenger to Florida. Will it be a 2-way race or will a spoiler file?
17TH WARD
Incumbent Joseph (Joe) Roddy waited until the afternoon of the 2nd day to file. In the spring he’ll have served 25 years in office, third in seniority behind Young & Wessels. Roddy has been challenged before but he’s easily won each time.
19TH WARD
Marlene Davis was elected in 2007 after Michael McMillan was elected license collector, no challenger has come forth.
21ST WARD
Four years ago Antonio D. French did something rarely ever done — he defeated an incumbent. French has ruffled some feathers in the ward and in Room 200, but so far nobody has filed to run against him as he seeks a second term.
23RD WARD
Joseph (Joe) Vaccaro is also seeking a second term. In 2009 he got 48.8% of the vote in a 7-way race for the Democratic nomination. When you finally get an open seat suddenly candidates are everywhere.
25TH WARD
Another candidate facing his first reelection campaign is Shane Cohn. This is the seat I ran for, and lost, in 2005 against incumbent Dorothy Kirner. In 2009 Kirner decided not to run again and Cohn won in a 4-way race.
27TH WARD
In August 2012 Alderman Gregory Carter was killed in a traffic accident, his nephew, then-state Rep Chris Carter, won the special election to finish the term. Carter didn’t file for reelection but a Pamela Boyd has filed for the seat.
ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS
Many dislike how term limits have resulted in quick turnover in state government. Conversely, lack of term limits has limited opportunities for new blood in the Board of Aldermen. We need to keep the state-level limits but increase them from 8 years to 12 or 16. At the local level we need to enact term limits of 12 or 16 years so we can get some fresh faces into office. This is needed because some don’t know when to leave office.
While we’re making changes to our city charter, we should also consider the following:
Eliminate partisan primary elections since only one elected official isn’t a Democrat; Scott Ogilvie is an independent, not a Republican or Green. Holding a partisan primary every two years so one party can select a nominee, followed by a general election a month later so the Democratic nominee can be on a ballot facing nominees from no other political party is a massive waste of money and effort.
Adopt Instant Runoff Voting for when you have three or more candidates. IRV eliminates the spoiler effect of three or more candidates. For more information on IRV see FairVote.org.
Few readers felt vacant seats should be viewed as white or black seats in the poll last week:
Q: Should vacant seats on the Board of Aldermen be viewed as “white” or “black” seats?
No 81 [81.82%]
Yes 6 [6.06%]
Tie
Unsure/no opinion 4 [4.04%]
Depends 4 [4.04%]
Other: 4 [4.04%]
The “other:” answers were:
hell no
If we want to remain locked in the bitter battles of the past, I suppose we will
NEVER
Absolutely NOT. Another example of how race should not be a factor in decision..
I personally agree we shouldn’t think a seat is automatically supposed to be for a certain race. First of all, our city is more than just white and black. That said, many realized voter suppression is alive in 2012.
Not only were black folks angered and shocked at Republicans’ blatant attempts at voter suppression in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Virginia, Texas and other states, they exacted revenge at the ballot box. (CNN)
But St. Louis votes Democratic, right? Technically yes, but substitute “old guard” for conservative above and the problem is one of gaining power or just enough to be appeased. On the other hand for the last five years I’ve been represented by numerous black persons: Board of Aldermen, President of the Board of Aldermen, Comptroller, State Rep, State Senate, US Rep. While some white folks certainly try to keep the balance of power I hope blacks can see we’re not all like that.
Kacie Starr Triplett has resigned her 6th ward seat on the Board of Aldermen, so talk of those who’ll run to finish her term, which expires in April 2015, is picking up. Race, it seems, is a factor. It was noticed when Triplett, who is African-American, backed white candidates in the August primary:
To be not so nice, one could say Triplett committed political suicide in the August 2012 primary by aggressively opposing African-American candidates in key historically black districts, only to see both of her chosen candidates lose and lose badly. She supported her constituent and former employer Russ Carnahan over incumbent 1st District Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay. Carnahan, who ran a nasty campaign against a former family ally, was crushed by Clay. Triplett also aggressively supported Jeanette Mott Oxford over two black opponents (incumbent state Sen. Robin Wright-Jones and Jamilah Nasheed, who won the race) in the 5th District state Senate race; Mott Oxford came in dead last. (St. Louis American)
Political suicide? Triplett defeated challenger Bradford Kessler 83-17 in the March 2011 Democratic primary to win a second tem. She was unopposed in the April 2011 general election. Triplett defeated two white males in the March 2007 primary.
From the same article in the St. Louis American:
According to the board, African Americans now enjoy a 60.44 percent majority among the 6th Ward’s 11,958 residents, and a 54.73 percent majority among ward residents age 18 or older. This was seen in the August primary, when Clay got 60 percent of the votes in the 6th Ward, beating Triplett’s candidate Carnahan 1,183 votes to 806.
Does a majority of a race within a ward make that seat an assumed for that race? Before Triplett’s resignation the 28-member Board of Aldermen had twelve African-Americans. Aldermanic President Lewis Reed, a mayoral candidate, is also African-American.
It’s thought 6th ward Committeeman Damon Jones will get the Democratic nomination for the special election, a determination by the Central Committee, and that Martin Casas, former state house candidate, will run as an independent. Casas is half Caucasian and half Latino.
UPDATE 11/18 @ 10am — I’ve been told that based on the timing of Triplett’s resignation the vacancy will be filled during the spring 2013 primary & general in March & April, respectively. That the Democratic Central Committee will not get to select the Democrat that’ll run.
The poll question this week is should aldermanic seats be a lock for a specific race based on prior alderman or demographics? The poll is in the right sidebar.
Absentee voting begins today in Missouri so I thought I’d show you some items on the general election ballot for voters in the City of St. Louis. You can view the sample ballot here. Interesting questions this year.
ABOVE: The St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners is on the first floor at 300 N. Tucker (@ Olive)
[Proposed by the 96th General Assembly (Second Regular Session) SJR 51]
Official Ballot Title:
Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to change the current nonpartisan selection of supreme court and court of appeals judges to a process that gives the governor increased authority to:
appoint a majority of the commission that selects these court nominees; and
appoint all lawyers to the commission by removing the requirement that the governor’s appointees be nonlawyers?
There are no estimated costs or savings expected if this proposal is approved by voters.
Fair Ballot Language:
A “yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to change the current nonpartisan selection of supreme court and court of appeals judges to a process that gives the governor increased authority to appoint a majority of the commission that selects these court nominees. This measure also allows the governor to appoint all lawyers to the commission by removing the requirement that the governor’s appointees be nonlawyers.
A “no” vote will not change the current constitutional provisions for the nonpartisan selection of supreme court and court of appeals judges.
If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.
allow any city not within a county (the City of St. Louis) the option of transferring certain obligations and control of the city’s police force from the board of police commissioners currently appointed by the governor to the city and establishing a municipal police force;
establish certain procedures and requirements for governing such a municipal police force including residency, rank, salary, benefits, insurance, and pension; and
prohibit retaliation against any employee of such municipal police force who reports conduct believed to be illegal to a superior, government agency, or the press?
State governmental entities estimated savings will eventually be up to $500,000 annually. Local governmental entities estimated annual potential savings of $3.5 million; however, consolidation decisions with an unknown outcome may result in the savings being more or less than estimated.
Fair Ballot Language:
A “yes” vote will amend Missouri law to allow any city not within a county (the City of St. Louis) the option of establishing a municipal police force by transferring certain obligations and control of the city’s police force from the board of police commissioners currently appointed by the governor to the city. This amendment also establishes certain procedures and requirements for governing such a municipal police force including residency, rank, salary, benefits, insurance, and pension. The amendment further prohibits retaliation against any employee of such municipal police force who reports conduct believed to be illegal to a superior, government agency, or the press.
A “no” vote will not change the current Missouri law regarding St. Louis City’s police force.
If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.
create the Health and Education Trust Fund with proceeds of a tax of $0.0365 per cigarette and 25% of the manufacturer’s invoice price for roll-your-own tobacco and 15% for other tobacco products;
use Fund proceeds to reduce and prevent tobacco use and for elementary, secondary, college, and university public school funding; and
increase the amount that certain tobacco product manufacturers must maintain in their escrow accounts, to pay judgments or settlements, before any funds in escrow can be refunded to the tobacco product manufacturer and create bonding requirements for these manufacturers?
Estimated additional revenue to state government is $283 million to $423 million annually with limited estimated implementation costs or savings. The revenue will fund only programs and services allowed by the proposal. The fiscal impact to local governmental entities is unknown. Escrow fund changes may result in an unknown increase in future state revenue.
Fair Ballot Language:
A “yes” vote will amend Missouri law to create the Health and Education Trust Fund with proceeds from a tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products. The amount of the tax is $0.0365 per cigarette and 25% of the manufacturer’s invoice price for roll-your-own tobacco and 15% for other tobacco products. The Fund proceeds will be used to reduce and prevent tobacco use and for elementary, secondary, college, and university public school funding. This amendment also increases the amount that certain tobacco product manufacturers must maintain in their escrow accounts, to pay judgments or settlements, before any funds in escrow can be refunded to the tobacco product manufacturer and creates bonding requirements for these manufacturers.
A “no” vote will not change the current Missouri law regarding taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products or the escrow account and bonding requirements for certain tobacco product manufacturers.
If passed, this measure will increase taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products.
[Proposed by the 96th General Assembly (Second Regular Session) SB 464]
Official Ballot Title:
Shall Missouri Law be amended to prohibit the Governor or any state agency, from establishing or operating state-based health insurance exchanges unless authorized by a vote of the people or by the legislature?
No direct costs or savings for state and local governmental entities are expected from this proposal. Indirect costs or savings related to enforcement actions, missed federal funding, avoided implementation costs, and other issues are unknown.
Fair Ballot Language:
A “yes” vote will amend Missouri law to prohibit the Governor or any state agency, from establishing or operating state-based health insurance exchanges unless authorized by a vote of the people or by the legislature.
A “no” vote will not amend Missouri law to prohibit the Governor or any state agency, from establishing or operating state-based health insurance exchanges unless authorized by a vote of the people or by the legislature.
If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.
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OFFICIAL BALLOT – SPECIAL ELECTION
PROPOSITION R – CHARTER AMENDMENT
(Board of Aldermen Amendment)
Shall the Charter of the City of St. Louis be amended in accordance with the Board of Aldermen Amendment Ordinance?
This Amendment restructures the Board of Aldermen of the City of St. Louis as a body of fourteen Aldermen representing fourteen wards, provides for a transition schedule to implement the restructuring, and other related matters, all as set forth in the “Board of Aldermen Amendment Ordinance,” a copy of which is available at all polling places. [Board Bill 31 Committee Substitute]
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National, state and some local offices are also on the ballot along with retention of some judges. Last day for voter registration in Missouri is October 10th, in Illinois it’s Oct 9th.
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