2010 Census to Bring Redistricting to City Wards in 2011

Every 10 years we have a national census and every 10 years our political districts at all levels change due to shifts in population. At the local level in the City of St. Louis we will see some of the 28 wards get geographically larger as others get smaller.  The idea is to have each ward represent the same number of persons.  So as some areas lose population the ward must grow in size to equal the population of other wards.

We may also see more political battles as the boundaries are redrawn.  Going into the 2000 census the following were our ward boundaries:

It was during the 2001 debate over redistricting that then Alderman Irene Smith had her urination incident that has dogged her since. The new boundaries were adopted anyway.  The 10trh ward moved to The Hill, the 20th moved from the Northside to the Southside. Some became odd shapes.

The 2010 census should be interesting.  It will likely show very little change in total population whereas in prior decades the losses were always huge.  But we’ll also see a shift in where people live.  Many wards, like the 12th down South, have had little change. But downtown has lots of residents that were not part of the 2000 census.  Other areas have also gained population as new or renovated structures have become occupied in the last decade.

In 2011 those of us in even numbered wards will vote on our Aldernmen for the coming four years but after the election we may find ourselves in a differen t ward.  In 1994 I moved to the Dutchtown neighborhood.  I was in the 13th ward.  In 2001 my house was in the 25th ward.  In the 70s or 80s the 25th was in the CWE, now the 28th.

Every 10 years we have a census and every 10 years ward boundaries change.  Clearly, some more than others. Political retribution through the moving of an Alderman’s ward is not uncommon.  One thing is certain, 2011 will be an interesting year in St. Louis.

Politicians using New Media to Communicate With the Public

We are without a doubt fully in the information age.  We want news and we want it now.  We don’t want to wait for a monthly neighborhood meeting or a quarterly newsletter to stay informed.

Missouri’s junior Senator, Claire McCaskill, does an amazing job of using new media techniques.  On March 3rd she posted on Twitter:

“Those naysayers bout twitter don’t get it. It’s all about communication. Communication is always a good thing especially in my job.”

Agreed, communication is important.  Regardless of your political ideology, you have to agree it is good for our elected officials at all levels to communicate with us — letting us know what they are working on and what issues they are mulling.  With new technology it is even easier to communicate.  For the public we have many ways of receiving this new media information.

McCaskill has a very nice and informative Senate website.  But most websites, like McCaskill’s official Senate version, requires the reader to go to it and seek out info.  Fine for those times when you are seeking specific information but horrible for frequent updates.  The solution is to automatically get the info we want.

Enter the web feed:

A web feed (or news feed) is a data format used for providing users with frequently updated content. Content distributors syndicate a web feed, thereby allowing users to subscribe to it. Making a collection of web feeds accessible in one spot is known as aggregation, which is performed by an Internet aggregator. A web feed is also sometimes referred to as a syndicated feed.

In the typical scenario of using web feeds, a content provider publishes a feed link on their site which end users can register with an aggregator program (also called a feed reader or a news reader) running on their own machines; doing this is usually as simple as dragging the link from the web browser to the aggregator. When instructed, the aggregator asks all the servers in its feed list if they have new content; if so, the aggregator either makes a note of the new content or downloads it. Aggregators can be scheduled to check for new content periodically. Web feeds are an example of pull technology, although they may appear to push content to the user.

The kinds of content delivered by a web feed are typically HTML (webpage content) or links to webpages and other kinds of digital media. Often when websites provide web feeds to notify users of content updates, they only include summaries in the web feed rather than the full content itself.

McCaskill has recently added a blog, which of course has a web feed.  She posts regularly to both Twitter and her new blog hosted by Tumblr.  Twitter also has a web feed so you need not be on Twitter to receive her tweets.  Updates are often posted from her BlackBerry.

These feeds can be read in a number of ways, via readers, browsers, your Google or Yahoo homepage, etc.

Some have the belief you need a budget and staff to do so.  Money and people can help but they are not a necessity.  The other issue is the false belief that the population is not online. Such was the case of former Alderman and recent candidate Sharon Tyus. In response to my question about a campaign website she wrote:

“I don’t plan to at this time maily because many of my constitutents are not online. When I was in office we had regular 20th Ward Meetings in which anywhere from 100 -400 people would attend. I also did a yearly newpaper, direct calls and written letters and attended the police and block unit meetings. Also those who used the email found that was the best way to contact me since I check my email early morning most days. I have not had a problem interacting with the press and or interested citizens. If they phone me at the office or home and leave a message or , write and/or email me, I respond appropriately. My ward meetings were often published in the press and were announced at the end of the Board of Alderman’s meetings. They wee open to the public as well as the press. The press came on several ocassions.”

So they can email but they are not online?  Seems to me you need to be online to send an email.

Four out of five U.S. adults go online now, according to a new Harris Poll.

The survey, which polled 2,062 adults in July and October, found that 79 percent of adults — about 178 million — go online, spending an average 11 hours a week on the Internet.

“We’re up to almost 80 of adults who now are online, or are somehow gaining access to the Internet. That’s a pretty impressive figure,” said Regina Corso, director of the Harris Poll.

The results reflect a steady rise since 2000, when 57 percent of adults polled said they went online. In 2006, the number was 77 percent. (source)

Tyus didn’t win, perhaps had she used the internet to help reach more voters… It is true that a fewer percentage of blacks are online, but the numbers are increasing.

The sharpest growth in Internet access and use is among young people. But blacks and other members of minorities of various ages are also merging onto the digital information highway as never before. According to a Pew national survey of people 18 and older, completed in February, 74 percent of whites go online, 61 percent of African-Americans do and 80 percent of English-speaking Hispanic-Americans report using the Internet. The survey did not look at non-English-speaking Hispanics, who some experts believe are not gaining access to the Internet in large numbers. In a similar Pew survey in 1998, just 42 percent of white American adults said they used the Internet while only 23 percent of African-American adults did so. Forty percent of English-speaking Hispanic-Americans said they used the Internet.(source)

Our politicians have got to stop presuming that their audience is not a part of the 21st century.

In the 23rd ward all seven candidates for Alderman had websites.  Two March winners, Antonio French in the 21st Ward and Shane Cohn in the 25th Ward, used blog-based websites (chronological posts with feeds) and the social networking site Facebook.

In the time it takes to talk to one constituent in the phone a politician can reach hundreds or more.  So here is some easy no-cost or low-cost ways for other elected officials to start communicating electronically in addition to face-to-face at meetings.

Email lists:

Nearly everyone has an email address so this is still a good way to reach folks.  Managing lists, however, can be a nightmare.  Setting up a free Yahoo or Google announcement group is the way to go.  Set the group up so that anyone can join, leaving the list management to Yahoo or Google.  Publicize the existence and watch the number of members grow as regular emails are sent to the group.  One email per week is a good number.

Website or Blog?

A blog is a special form of a website.  While websites have traditionally been static and required specialized software to create and update, blogs make it east to add new information and archive old information.  Free blogs can be had from Google, WordPress or in the case of Claire McCaskill, Tumblr.  This last one is new to me.  It is very simple and is set up so it can be updated on the web, with a phone or using email.  Very smart & easy.

Facebook & Twitter:

Facebook is a good supplement to email lists and blogs but not everyone is on Facebook.  Like Facebook, not everyone is on Twitter.  Unlike Facebook, Twitter has a feed that people can subscribe to.  This can let someone use Twitter as a short form blog.  An entry might be, “Introducing bill on Friday to allow steet vendors city-wide.”  Another could be, “Hearing on BB56 on street vendors Thurday at 10am in Room 208.”  Twitter tweets are limited to 140 characters so it doesn’t take much time.   Both Facebook & Twitter give you the code to place your updates on your blog — see my sidebar on my main page as an example.

I urge current and future elercted officials to see the importance of keeping the public informed about their work on our behalf.

If Claire Can Twitter So Can The Aldermen

I’m fortunate to have, as my representative on the Board of Aldermen, the youngest (and tallest) member: Kacie Starr Triplett.  She twitters.  That is she sends out posts on the micro blogging site, Twitter.  She also has an infrequently updated blog.  Of all 28 Aldermen she does a far better job them most.  She was just starting grade school when some of her collegues were first elected to the Board of Aldermen.  Micro blogging is so named because the maximum length of a post is 140 characters.

But it is not just the kids doing the Twitter thing.  Missouri’s junior Senator Claire McCaskill also posts regularly to Twitter.  McCaskill is 55.

Here are a few samples of Senator McCaskill’s tweets:

New Chief of Staff on board March 1. We will miss Sean(went to WH), but Julie Dwyer is gonna be terrific.Change is good.

Things look good on compromise. Officially got sub committee on contracting. Going to basement to grab lunch while walking.

So Senator McCaskill gives little tidbits here and there.  Ald Triplett does the same.  Here are a few of her recent entries:

Just left a meeting with the owners of Union Station. Discussing upcoming renovations and new Marriott hotel

I really liked this one:

My eyes are burning from cigarette smoke in Loop restaurant. Ingrain in Brain: SmokeFree. SmokeFree

During a recent meeting of the Board of Aldermen she posted:

Friday board meeting. Nothing too interesting or out of the ordinary today.

Less than a half hour later she posted:

I spoke too soon. Troupe vs. Bosley on advance warning signage for red light cameras. Several point of orders throughout debate

McCaskill now has over 6,000 followers on Twitter.  Triplett has 93.  I have 118.  Bill Streeter is a mad man on Twitter and has 1,081 followers.The Post-Dispatches’ Jake Wagman has 286 followers. For the most part my blog posts are my only tweets — posted automatically using my feed so the follower gets headline and link.  I sometimes post commentary. Facebook gets more updates than Twitter.

But the beauty of Twitter is that you can follow the tweets of others without them needing to approve or reciprocate.   I like seeing tweets from both my U.S. Senator and Alderman.

One is middle fifties and one is late 20s.  Both realize they are in public office and they have an obligation to communicate with the public.  While each likely has constituents lacking internet access, I’m glad they do not limit their communications to the least technological.

In our current times using only one avenue for communications just doesn’t cut it.  Neighborhood meetings are great for those able to attend.  Newsletters are costly to produce and are not timely.  Pols can’t call everyone to give verbal updates.

Twitter is free.  For elected officials good communications need not mandate a large staff or a big budget, just a smart phone.

Here are links to the Twitter posts of the folks mentioned above:

• Claire McCaskill
• Kacie Starr Triplett
• Steve Patterson
  
• Bill Streeter
  
• Jake Wagman

Lost?  Confused?  If so read more about Twitter on Wikipedia here.

Board of Aldermen Has Lots of Dead Weight

I know from my reader survey that nearly 10% of you are 18-24 years old.  I also know from the Board of Aldermen Seniority List (PDF) that Phyllis Young and Fred Wessels have been Aldermen your entire lives.  All through your period in diapers, kindergarten, grade school, those awkward teen years, and college.  Both are up for re-election next Spring.  The filing deadline for candidates is 5pm Friday.

Others are not far behind.  In my view the majority of them need to step aside at this or the 2011 election cycle (depending upon if they are from odd or even numbered ward).  They are dead weight holding the city back, keeping an entire generation from participating.  It really is very selfish of them.

In 2009/10 I’ll be working on a ballot initiative to get term limits for city offices.  I know many of you say “just vote them out.”  That is fine assuming they have a challenger.  I’ve also heard people say without institutional memory the lobbyists take over.  I hate to tell you this, but these aldermen have been buddies with the same lobbyists for decades now.  Decades!  If these selfish folks won’t step aside on their own we need a mechanism to do it for them.

The other high priority is reducing the number of Aldermen from the current 28.  Some say half – 14.  I’m thinking even less, like 9 or 10.

Tower Grove South Concerned Citizens Special Business District

What a name!  Ald Jennifer Florida is introducing legislation (BB89) at the Board Of Aldermen this morning to put the establishment of a special taxing district on the ballot for residents within the district to vote on.  The district, if approved, would be from the alley South of Utah Place, to the centerline of Grand, to the centerline of Gravois to Roger Place (one block West of Gustine). The official name would be the “Tower Grove South Concerned Citizens Special Business District.”
First, what is with the “concerned citizens” bit in the name?  They’ll never get the full name on banners or on trash cans.  Doesn’t every area have concerned citizens?
Secondly, I never like it when major streets are used as edges for neighborhood or business district lines — Grand was once the center point for residential areas on both sides.  When using major streets as dividing lines we end up with different groups having a say on the same street — but only for their half.  When business districts are done this way you end up with money for improvements for half the street.  Using alley lines is the better way to go.

And lastly I always wonder who manages the money — in this case it would be a 7-member Board of Commissioners appointed by the mayor.  Five would be property owners and two would be renters.