Recorder of Deeds Primary Endorsement: Edward McFowland

In next week’s primary I’m endorsing Edward McFowland for Recorder of Deeds, for those voters taking a Democrat Party ballot. Many of you might not recognize the McFowland name, but Edward McFowland has been around politics much of his life. His mom, Daisy McFowland, served as 4th ward alderman 1973-79, 1983-90 (she died in office). In 1977-78, while Daisy McFowland was serving on the Board of Aldermen, 23rd ward committeewoman Sharon Carpenter was the secretary to Board President Paul J Simon.

Carpenter first stepped into the job in 1980, when she was appointed by then-Gov. Joe Teasdale following the death of then-Recorder of Deeds William Schulze. (The state law has been changed to allow the mayor to now fill any vacancy in the office.) Carpenter later won a special election to fill out the term, and has handily won re-election ever since. (St. Louis Public Radio)

Carpenter’s predecessor William C. Schulze died of a brain tumor in March 1980, he was only 33 years old! Like Carpenter, Schulze was appointed to the position by Gov Teasdale.  In 1977 Recorder Francis R. Slay, the mayor’s father, resigned so the office was vacant. The next year Schulze was elected to a full term, which Carpenter was appointed to finish.

Thirty-four years later, on Friday July 11, 2014 the Circuit Attorney Public Information Officer Lauren Trager released the following statement at noon:

Upon receiving Mr. McFowland’s first letter, we conducted an initial review of the applicable law. We determined that there was a legal basis for referring this matter to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and we did so on June 27, 2014. As you know, the SLMPD is the primary investigative body for the City of St. Louis. We are awaiting the results of that investigation, and we expect them shortly. At that point in time, we are prepared to take action, should the investigation substantiate Mr. McFowland’s allegations. For more information, please contact the SLMPD.

Just over four hours later Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce said:

The Circuit Attorney’s Office has received a letter indicating that Ms. Sharon Quigley Carpenter intends to resign from office, effective Monday morning. The specific allegation of nepotism provides no legal basis for criminal prosecution. Ms. Carpenter admitted to violating a provision of the Missouri Constitution. The sole remedy for a violation of that provision is removal from office during the term when the specific conduct occurred. The investigation into the allegations remains open, until such time as her resignation becomes effective.

Edward McFowland’s diligence and research uncovered this wrong doing by a person in office for over three decades. He’d sent many emails about other things he found, how other information he sought through Sunshine Law requests hadn’t been provided.  Just before Carpenter resigned I emailed McFowland to ask to meet face to face.  I was impressed by his skills at seeking out problems, but also his positive ideas such as having a U.S. Passport office in city hall. The day before Carpenter resigned McFowland emailed the idea:

As Recorder, I will pursue designation of one or more Recorder of Deeds employees as U.S. Passport Acceptance Agents.

22 CFR 51.22 (Passport agents and passport acceptance agents) permits the Department of State to authorize “Any other person specifically designated by the Department” to serve as agents.

Libraries across Missouri, including the Kirkwood Public Library and three public libraries in Jefferson County, are Passport Offices. Why not the library of public records for the City of St. Louis?

You need a Birth Certificate copy to get a passport. The City Recorder’s Office is a copy center for State of Missouri Birth Certificates. Combining birth record services with Passport services is a great match.

The Downtown Post-Office Passport Office is open 9 am to 4 pm. The Recorder’s Office is open 8 am to 5 pm. More hours for passport customers, means more convenient.

I believe a City Hall Passport Office would be well received and we would make a little more money for the City with the additional Birth Certificate copy sales.

Let me also add that I think publishing Recorder services information in Spanish and Bosnian is long overdue.

For starters, the Recorder has a Birth and Death Records services brochure and Marriage License services brochure that should already have been translated into Spanish and Bosnian, published on the website, printed, and copies made available to various institutions and nonprofits serving the Spanish-speaking and Bosnian-speaking communities.

As Recorder, I will work with our immigrant communities and service providers to make the Recorder of Deeds Office customer-friendly to all residents.

We can add Passport services and make the Recorder’s Office immigrant-friendly within the Recorder’s current budget.

We met the following week, I came away very impressed.  We talked about his ideas, the problems he’s uncovered, and his background. McFowland, in his mid-50s, has considerable experience; he’s served our country in the U.S. Army and the Army Reserves. Like my oldest brother, a Navy vet, I think McFowland can take his experience gained from the military and apply it to any field. McFowland also has the education, holding a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Public Administration from SIU Carbondale. See McFowland’s “action plan”.

What experience in recording did Carpenter have before being appointed?  If you’re taking a democratic party ballot on Tuesday please vote for Edward McFowland for Recorder of Deeds!

— Steve Patterson

Readers Opposed To Four Out Of Five Constitutional Amendments On Missouri’s August 5th Ballot

Tuesday August 5th Missouri voters will go to the polls for the primary election, which includes five proposed constitutional amendments. The poll last week included a question about each. The results below aren’t scientific and outstate voters frequently vote the opposite of voters from urbanized areas.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 1  Proposed by the 97th General Assembly (First Regular Session) CCS No. 2 SS HCS HJR Nos. 11 & 7

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to ensure that the right of Missouri citizens to engage in agricultural production and ranching practices shall not be infringed? The potential costs or savings to governmental entities are unknown, but likely limited unless the resolution leads to increased litigation costs and/or the loss of federal funding.

Results:

1. No – Against the amendment 186 [71.81%]
2. Yes – For the amendment 55 [21.24%]
3. Undecided 15 [5.79%]
4. N/A — not a Missouri resident or won’t be voting 3 [1.16%]

My thoughts:

• “Amendment 1 is a concerted effort to shield factory farms and concentrated agricultural feeding operations from regulations to protect livestock, consumers and the environment.” — KC Star editorial 
• See VoteNoOn1.com for reasons to vote against 1
• Please vote NO!

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 5 Proposed by the 97th General Assembly (Second Regular Session) SCS SJR No. 36

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to include a declaration that the right to keep and bear arms is an unalienable right and that the state government is obligated to uphold that right? State and local governmental entities should have no direct costs or savings from this proposal. However, the proposal’s passage will likely lead to increased litigation and criminal justice related costs. The total potential costs are unknown, but could be significant.

Results:

1. No – Against the amendment 172 [68.25%]
2. Yes – For the amendment 75 [29.76%]
3. Undecided 3 [1.19%]
4. N/A — not a Missouri resident or won’t be voting 2 [0.79%]

My thoughts:

• An attempt to prevent local laws on firearms
• “Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker and St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce strongly urge a NO vote because gun rights will take preference, particularly in domestic violence cases.” — State Rep Stacey Newman
• Police Chief, Circuit Attorney Say “Unalienable” Gun Rights Amendment Misleads Voters (Riverfront Times)
• Please vote NO!

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 7 Proposed by the 97th General Assembly (Second Regular Session) SS HJR No. 68

Should the Missouri Constitution be changed to enact a temporary sales tax of three-quarters of one percent to be used solely to fund state and local highways, roads, bridges and transportation projects for ten years, with priority given to repairing unsafe roads and bridges? This change is expected to produce $480 million annually to the state’s Transportation Safety and Job Creation Fund and $54 million for local governments. Increases in the gas tax will be prohibited. This revenue shall only be used for transportation purposes and cannot be diverted for other uses.

Results:

1. No – Against the amendment 190 [72.52%]
2. Yes – For the amendment 58 [22.14%]
3. Undecided 11 [4.2%]
4. N/A — not a Missouri resident or won’t be voting 3 [1.15%]

My thoughts:

• The trucking industry trying to avoid paying to use Missouri’s roads, especially I-70 & I-44.
• I love taxation to pay for government services, but only if it is fair.
• We do need to repair roads & bridges, fund transit projects throughout Missouri, but this is the wrong way to do it.
• See VoteNoAmendment7.com for more reasons to 86 seven.
• Vote no Amendment 7 (St. Louis American)
• Editorial: Ten good reasons to vote against the transportation sales tax (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
• Transportation interests donated $96k to key sales-tax proponent (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
• Please vote NO!

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 8 Proposed by the 97th General Assembly (Second Regular Session) HJR No. 48

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to create a “Veterans Lottery Ticket” and to use the revenue from the sale of these tickets for projects and services related to veterans? The annual costs or savings to state and local governmental entities is unknown, but likely minimal. If sales of a veterans lottery ticket game decrease existing lottery ticket sales, the profits of which fund education, there could be a small annual shift in funding from education to veterans’ programs.

Results:

1. No – Against the amendment 160 [65.57%]
2. Yes – For the amendment 47 [19.26%]
3. Undecided 33 [13.52%]
4. N/A — not a Missouri resident or won’t be voting 4 [1.64%]

My thoughts:

• The lottery was approved to provide a funding source, any dollar going to another worthy cause isn’t going to education. This won’t increase Lottery revenues, just divide the pot.
• We need to do more for veterans, this isn’t the right way to do it.
• Please vote NO!

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 9 Proposed by the 97th General Assembly (Second Regular Session) SCS SJR No. 27

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended so that the people shall be secure in their electronic communications and data from unreasonable searches and seizures as they are now likewise secure in their persons, homes, papers and effects? State and local governmental entities expect no significant costs or savings.

Results:

1. Yes – For the amendment 177 [72.84%]
2. No – Against the amendment 47 [19.34%]
3. Undecided 17 [7%]
4. N/A — not a Missouri resident or won’t be voting 2 [0.82%]

My thoughts:

• The NSA isn’t going to avoid Missouri if passed
• The ACLU of Missouri urges members to vote yes.
• I don’t see it making much difference, vote your conscience.

I happen to agree with Ray Hartmann on these five proposed amendments, see Think Again: Indecent Proposals (St. Louis Magazine for his analysis. Please vote Tuesday August 5th!!

— Steve Patterson

Lid Over Highway Takes Shape, Old Elevated Highway Needs To Be Replaced With At-Grade Boulevard

The long-desired “lid” over the depressed section of the highway is now taking shape.

Once completed you’ll enter the museum on the opposite side, through an opening in the grass mound. See the drawing below:

Orienting the museum toward the city is the correct thing to do, just as making the highway a boulevard in the future. The lid will allow visitors to cross a boulevard at the center, my primary objective is to remove the elevated section north of Washington Ave/Eads Bridge. This stretch was known as I-70 for decades, but once the new Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge opened it was renumbered I-44.

Though many of us would’ve like this to have been concurrently planned, we’ll just need to keep pushing.

— Steve Patterson

40th Anniversary of ‘Gone in 60 Seconds’; Planning/Policy Insights

Today’s post isn’t about St. Louis, but it is about urban planning/policy as observed through popular culture. The movie “Gone in 60 Seconds” premiered 40 years ago today — July 28, 1974. The second half of the movie is a very long chase scene — the police today would never be able to engage a suspect at these speeds.  The star is ‘Eleanor’, a yellow 1973 Ford Mustang Mach I.  By the premier, the ’73 Mustang had been replaced by the Pinto-based Mustang II. My very first car was a ’74 Mustang II, an awful car.

I’m a public transit advocate that’s also a car nut, this movie filmed in 1973 so many cars.

Company Headquarters/Streets

At the time the three biggest Japanese auto manufacturers (Honda, Toyota, & Datsun/Nissan) had their US headquarters very close to each other in Los Angeles County. In late 2005, Nissan announced they were relocating to Tennessee:

Nissan Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said the Japanese automaker, which set up shop in Southern California in 1958, would spend more than $70 million to build a corporate headquarters complex in Franklin, about 15 miles southwest of Nashville.

Ghosn said the widely anticipated decision was prompted chiefly by cheaper real estate and lower business taxes.

“The costs of doing business in Southern California are much higher than the costs of doing business in Tennessee,” he said. (LA Times)

In April of this year Toyota announced it too would leave California:

Toyota is moving to Texas. The Japanese automaker is consolidating its various United States headquarters operations into a single campus in Plano, Tex.

Right now, Toyota’s sales and finance arms are headquartered in California, while its manufacturing and development arms are headquartered in Kentucky. Toyota also has offices in New York City and some of those jobs will also be moved to Texas. (source)

Another article noted Toyota wants to avoid the problems Nissan faced:

In moving its U.S. headquarters out of California, Toyota hopes to avoid some of the problems that Nissan encountered when it did the same thing in 2006.

Sources inside Toyota say they already dissected Nissan North America’s move and were particularly dismayed to see that their Japanese rival lost roughly 60 percent of its 1,300 Los Angeles headquarters staffers and executives when it relocated to Nashville. (source)

So what happened after Nissan left?

Nissan’s plan was treated with alarm by officials, who made a last-ditch effort to keep the automaker in town. Unswayed, Nissan brass turned out the lights and moved their North American headquarters to Nashville in the summer of 2006. After nearly 50 years in Los Angeles County, Nissan’s nerve center was gone.

Left behind was a cluster of 13 buildings, including a nine-story tower topped with a red Nissan sign that was a familiar sight to drivers passing the intersection of the Harbor and San Diego freeways. More than 700,000 square feet of office and light industrial space lay empty.

In Rust Belt cities such as Detroit, many abandoned commercial buildings fall slowly to pieces. But in a sign of the vitality and adaptive nature of the Southern California economy, the 42-acre Nissan campus has been taken over by 11 different businesses that are expected to employ more workers than Nissan did — about 1,400 in all. (Nissan’s old campus in South Bay gets ‘flipped’)

The campus now has multiple owners, employing more total people in diverse industries. In the developer’s words:

Now complete, Kearny South Bay Business Park employs more people than when Nissan occupied the property. Due to demand and the significant improvements made to the campus, the campus was quickly backfilled by firms in diversified sectors including finance, health services, high-tech manufacturing, fashion, automotive, and food processing which helped to re-energize the entire area. Of the 13 buildings, 7 were sold in 2007, 5 in 2008 and the last office building closed in December 2009. Kearny is proud of this transformation. (source)

As you might expect, the area looks different forty years later. South Figueroa St got a planted median to take up some the excess street width.

Property Taxes

The movie car chase conveniently goes by the ground breaking ceremony for a new Sheriff’s office where the announcer says:

At the time Carson was a new city in the region, with employers like Datsun and attracting more with the lure of no property taxes.

Carson borders Compton:

Soon, middle class blacks also found other areas more attractive to them. Some were unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County such as Ladera Heights, View Park and Windsor Hills; and others were cities such as Inglewood and, particularly, Carson. The latter was significant because it had successfully thwarted attempts at annexation by neighboring Compton. The city of Carson opted instead for incorporation in 1968, which is notable because its black population was actually more affluent than its white population. As a newer city, it also offered more favorable tax rates and lower crime. 

A more affluent unincorporated area incorporated rather than be annexed by an area losing its tax base, this happened everywhere.

By the time Carson finally incorporated as a city in 1968, its landscape was pockmarked with the dozens of refuse dumps, landfills, and auto dismantling plants which none of its neighbors would have in their own cities.

As a result, the history of the City of Carson since 1968 has, to a large extent, been the history of struggling to deal with these problems caused by its late incorporation. And to its credit, Carson has worked miracles in the short time since its birth as an independent city.

Following its incorporation in 1968, Carson acted swiftly to close down most of the unwanted facilities that had been foisted upon the city in the past, enforcing a strict building and landscaping code, and a working to attract successful new commercial ventures to the city. As a result, most of the heavy industry of the past has been replaced. The new industrial parks in Carson, such as the Watson Industrial Center, are models of cleanliness and attention to appearance. Beautification efforts by the city have resulted in numerous landscaped center medians, lighting projects, street improvements and public parks.

All these services eventually required property taxes.

b

Carson’s 18.968 sq mi makes it less than a third the size of the City of St. Louis (66.2 sq mi).  St. Louis has a slightly greater population density.

b

The chase ended up at the Cadillac dealership after passing by the nearby Mazda dealer.

Across Hawthorne Blvd was a wall, but now the road is wider with a median. Across the street is a trailer park.

Eleanor had lap seat belts, no shoulder belt. All the cars had round sealed beam headlights, as required by US law. In 1974 the law was changed to allow rectangular sealed beam headlights. It wasn’t until the easily 1980s that more headlight designs were allowed on vehicles sold in the US.

I’ve rambled enough, I’m going to get a big bowl of popcorn and watch this great movie another time. You can watch it on YouTube here or order a DVD at gonein60seconds.com.

— Steve Patterson

Poll: Should St. Louis Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages?

A couple of weeks ago you may have seen this story:

St. Louis Health Department Director Pam Walker said Saturday night that she would attempt to ban horse-drawn carriages from city streets.

Walker’s vow followed an incident in front of the City Museum downtown on Saturday night. Walker, who lives in a building adjacent to the museum, was walking her dog just before 9 p.m. when she spotted what she said was a horse “showing classic signs of heatstroke.” (stltoday)

The poll this week asks if we should ban horse-drawn carriages, I’ve provided a variety of answers but you can also supply your own. The poll is at the top of the right sidebar (mobile users need to switch to the desktop layout).

— Steve Patterson