PLATFORM
Our neighbors, neighborhoods, and wards face many of the same challenges. Our problems don’t stop at the borders of the wards, which is why we must communicate openly and honestly, to get to the heart of the issues.
As an alderman, I would focus on the following priorities for the City of St. Louis:
Improving Public Safety and Constituent Service:
Working street lights, well-maintained alleys and sidewalks, up-to-code commercial buildings, regular waste pick-up, and clean lines of sight are all feasible ways to increase safety both in the 4th Ward and in the City as a whole. We need public safety solutions, including expanding our number of 911 operators, which allow our police to pursue serious cases, rather than being dispatched to 911 calls when something seems out of the ordinary.
Providing Transparency, Accountability, and Ethical Leadership:
If the City of St. Louis is to grow, welcome new residents, and attract businesses – as well as treat our current citizens with respect – then our city government must run more efficiently and more openly. As the number of wards is reduced from 28 to 14, the need for ethical governance from city legislators has never been greater. Decisions by your elected officials must be made in the daylight and with full transparency.
Advocating for St. Louis Public Schools:
Our public schools should be the shining jewel of the city. Unfortunately, decades of short-sighted policies have left our city schools with smaller student populations, crumbling infrastructure, and dwindling resources. This is unacceptable. The Board of Aldermen must begin to find ways to support the school district, prevent the closure of neighborhood schools, and advocate for the needs of the district in state and regional conversations.
Incorporating Community Benefit Agreements into Development Deals:
The city should work on projects that will make the region a more attractive place to live, work, and play – but not at the expense of current city residents. Community benefit agreements, as well as payments in lieu of taxes for city schools and affordable housing trusts, must be arranged so that the whole of the city might experience some benefit. When we make deals for development, it should always be a deal that’s good for the city.
Ending the Abuse of Tax Increment Financing:
Tax increment financing (TIF) is a much-used, much-abused development incentive that has helped drive the regional sales-tax war. St. Louis as a region must come to grips with the fact that as we pursue sales tax at the expense of our neighbors, we do a disservice to the entire region. TIFs are not an all-purpose tool, they are not meant for every project, and they should be used sparingly and only when it makes sense in the context of the situation.
Encouraging Coordination and Cooperation Between the City and the County:
It is easy to move among the city, the county, and the municipalities of the region. If we act like the County’s challenges only belong to the County, and the City’s challenges only belong to the City, then we are accepting a fragmented future for the region that condemns us to a slow doom. If we refuse to operate with one voice on the issues that matter most to us, then we will lose to cities like Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Louisville, Indianapolis, and Kansas City. Whatever new methods of cooperation and coordination that can be pursued should be pursued.