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DEF is a non-partisan, independent political blog based in the
City of St. Louis, Missouri. Our goal is to cast a critical eye
on lawmakers, their policies, and those that have influence upon
them, and to educate our readers about legislation and the political
processes that affect our daily lives.
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An article in Friday's Post-Dispatch gives props to Pub Def for our political coverage throughout 2006. Thanks to political reporter Jo Mannies for the love.
French, who operates Pubdef, said political activists at all levels had better get used to the relentless characteristic of these blog sites.
As he sees it: "The Internet has introduced the 24-hour news cycle to local politics."
Two members of the city's school board stood by other community leaders today to defend their embattled school district from state takeover.
Board members Bill Purdy and Donna Jones said that now that the district has changed course, after three years of de facto rule from the mayor's office, it is once again focused on gaining full accreditation -- which Purdy noted it is closer to attaining than many other districts around the state.
"The confusion you see on the board is a manufactured confusion," said Jones.
State Reps. Robin Wright Jones and Jeanette Mott Oxford, Teachers Union President Mary Armstrong, and Rev. James T. Morris, a parent of children in SLPS, were among the speakers at this morning's event.
Check back later for videos of two school board members defending the district from takeover.
More elected officials are joining calling on state education officials to conduct public hearings before any action on St. Louis Public Schools is taken.
State Representatives Jamilah Nasheed, Jeanette Mott Oxford, Robin Wright Jones, school board members Bill Purdy and Donna Jones, Committeemen Jesse Todd and Jay Ozier, Rev. James T. Morris, activists Percy Green and Jamala Rogers, school board and aldermanic candidate Bill Haas, and representatives of the unions representing teachers and admin istrators joined with parents this morning for a press conference outside the downtown headquarters of SLPS.
Nasheed, who was the first to call for public hearings, said there should be no takeover of the school district at this time.
"We're demanding that the Missouri Department of Education hold public hearings here in the City of St. Louis before they make any decision to take over the public schools and take away the people's right to vote," said Nasheed.
Also this morning, Comptroller Darlene Green and state senators Maida Coleman and Jeff Smith issued statements in support of public hearings.
"Public input will be essential to forming a consensus about the direction of our schools in the important weeks and months ahead," said the joint statement from Coleman and Smith.
"Ultimately, we all want the same thing, which is for our children to have a safe environment to gain a quality education. To help achieve this goal, the public should feel it has been involved in the process."
Comptroller Darlene Green has joined in the call for public hearings before any state action on St. Louis Public Schools.
"I support the community's call for the State Department of Education to conduct a public hearing on the St. Louis public schools report," said Green in a statement released today.
"With the School Board election just three months away, the state and the committee should consider that a change in board members may be all it takes to end the turmoil. A state takeover, on the other hand, could result in a continuation of the political controversy instead of focusing efforts on what’s best for the children"
"Any of the committee’s recommendations, short of a takeover, need broad public support to be successful. A public hearing on the issue here in St. Louis would go a long way towards doing just that," said Green.
Last week State Rep-elect Jamilah Nasheedsent a letter to the president of the State Board of Education requesting such a public hearing.
In April, parents Peter Downs and Donna Jones pulled off a huge political upset by defeating two incumbent school board members that were backed by Mayor Francis Slay and were well financed by some of the city's business interests. But the support of the city's elite nor spending more than $50 per vote could make up for the incumbents' lack of parental and teacher support.
"There are a lot of angry people out there," James Buford told the St. Louis American. Indeed there were, and still are -- maybe even more today.
Pub Def asked has Post-Dispatch columnist Bill McClellan become the Che Guevara of southside liberalism? Don't ask us. Ask The Bill McClellan Motherfuckers!
In his state of the city address, Mayor Slay announced plans to seek voter approval for a sales tax that would pay to hire 50 new officers and fund a "Career Criminal Unit" in the city prosecutor’s office.
Post-Dispatch publisher Terrance C.Z. Eggerresigned. "Even in a job you love, sometimes 10 years is enough," he said.
The five-way race to replace the term-limited State Sen. Pat Dougherty began to heat up with the candidates attending forums around the city. Pub Def's camera was there at many.
Maxine Johnson, a homeowner in the 3rd Ward, picketed on Easter Sunday in front of Bethlehem Lutheran Church to call attention to a plan supported by Ald. Freeman Bosley, Sr. to use eminent domain to take her home as part of a planned redevelopment project.
On April 21, Vince Schoemehl and his supporters celebrated the 25th anniversary of his swearing-in as mayor of the City of St. Louis.
Pub Def's camera was there as Air Force One landed in Columbia carrying President George W. Bush (Click here to see our exclusive photos). Anti-abortion activists parked two large trucks in front of the State Capitol displaying graphic photos of aborted fetuses. They were meant to send a loud message to President Bush and others during his visit.
Continuing to hold State Senator-elect Jeff Smith as the elected official all black officials should strive to be like, the St. Louis American today labeled State Rep-elect Jamilah Nasheed the "un-Jeff" for requesting public hearings on the issue of state takeover of St. Louis Public Schools.
The still anonymous authors of the "Political Eye" said that Nasheed's suggestion "overlooks the fact that the Special Advisory Committee has been doing its business in public, as required by the Sunshine Law. Also, if the powers in play wanted the fate of the pubic schools decided by the folks who show up at school board meetings, then it would never have appointed this committee in the first place."
Of course the "Eye" fails to mention that Donald Suggs, publisher of the American and former campaign treasurer for the original 2003 slate of school board candidates backed by Mayor Francis Slay, was one of the members of that Special Advisory Committee.
And they also fail to mention that while most of the committee's meetings took place in public, those meetings never allowed time for public comment.
Nasheed's suggestion is a good one and, quite frankly, is the least the state should do before acting to disenfranchise 300,000 people.
BTW, cops hated CRB. "Where do they get the idea that some shitbag should have the right to investigate a police officer?," wrote one person on the St. Louis CopTalk electronic bulletin board.
Committeeman Francis Slay, Sr. jumped on the Jeff Smith bandwagon.
RFT editor Tom Finkelapologized after his reporter, Chad Garrison, lifted quotes from one of our exclusive videos without giving us credit.
State Rep. Sherman Parker, the lone black Republican in the state house, bucked his party and filed to run against a fellow Republican, Congressman Todd Akin.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Riceaccepted the apology of Dave Lenihan, of St. Louis' own KTRS 550AM. Lenihan was fired after he used the racial slur "coon" when discussing the Secretary. He quickly said it was an unfortunate slip of the tongue and just as quickly (and inexplicably) had Harold Crumpton of the local NAACP jumping to his defense.
Pub Def was the first to report the selection of Julie Szymula Feier to replace Frank Ollendorff as city manager of University City.
We also presented the first-of-its-kind video voter guide for the U-City's mayor's race.
The St. Louis Americanresponded to observations we made about the relationship between political advertising and newspaper endorsements in that paper and others.
The Missouri Republican Party sent out a press release this afternoon attacking State Senator-elect Jeff Smith, a Democrat, on his decision to oppose Gov. Matt Blunt's appointment of Donayle Whitmore-Smith to the State Board of Education.
"Smith today showed that he is more interested in bowing to Democrat Party bosses than doing what’s right for Missouri students," said the Republicans.
"Smith contradicts himself by praising Whitmore-Smith's efforts on behalf of urban education in the St. Louis area then in the same breath rejects her nomination because of a lack of experience," said Paul Sloca, communications director for the Missouri Republican Party.
"Jeff Smith’s politically-motivated rejection of Donayle Whitmore-Smith is a slap in the face to the African American community and to our urban schools. Jeff Smith is turning his back on his constituents in order to garner favor with Democrat leaders who have opposed Whitmore-Smith’s nomination," said Sloca.
"It is this kind of dismissive attitude toward our urban schools that have led to problems like those currently surrounding the St. Louis Public School District. It’s a disgrace."
Meanwhile, Gov. Blunt is also voicing his displeasure with Smith's decision.
"I am deeply disappointed that one of the Senator-elect's first actions is obstructing the appointment of a well-qualified African-American woman who would have done a magnificent job on the State's School Board," said Blunt.
"Donayle Whitmore-Smith was one of two African-American leaders I appointed to the State Board of Education. I am pleased that Reverend Stanley Archie of Kansas City will at least be given the courtesy of a hearing even though the same courtesy was not extended to Donayle."
Senator-Elect Jeff Smith's Statement on Gubernatorial Appointee Donayle Whitmore-Smith:
Donayle Whitmore-Smith is a leader of courage and action. She has dedicated the last decade of her life to improving urban education by founding the Ptah Academy in St. Louis and attempting to provide additional educational options to children across the state. As an educator, an activist, and a parent, she has much to be proud of.
That said, she is not an appropriate candidate for the State Board of Education.
The State Board is the steward for Missouri's public schools. As such, its members should possess a breadth and depth of experience in public education and/or a background as strong advocates for public schools. Given Ms. Whitmore-Smith's lack of experience as a public school teacher, administrator, or advocate – and the fact that she has spent much of her adult life promoting private educational options – I am concerned about her ability to focus on improving our public schools. At a time when the St. Louis Public Schools are on the verge of losing accreditation and falling under the purview of the State, all members of the State Board must concentrate on the task at hand.
Equally troubling was Ms. Whitmore-Smith's noncommittal response to my question about the relative merits of teaching creation vs. evolution in public school science classes. In order to train a workforce that will help Missouri become a biotechnology hub, our schools must teach modern science and ensure that religious doctrine remains in appropriate venues.
It should be noted, as the co-founder of a group of public charter schools, I have advocated some of the very alternative educational options that Ms. Whitmore-Smith has supported. I neither retract my advocacy nor disparage hers. In fact, I appreciate her energy and her work. While I have not always agreed with Ms. Whitmore-Smith's policy prescriptions, she has been a passionate advocate for her cause and fresh voices like hers should be welcomed.
I have truly appreciated the input of thousands of Missourians while evaluating this nominee. Lamentably, however, some on both sides have succumbed to histrionics and demagoguery. Ms. Whitmore-Smith is not out to eviscerate public education; conversely, voucher opponents are not out to trap poor children in failing schools. And the abysmal outcomes of St. Louis public schools are not solely the result of bureaucratic dysfunction but, more broadly, the consequence of decades of segregation, benign neglect, and middle-class flight.
For the sake of our children and our state's economic future, we must move past petty political bickering to come together and find practical solutions to these problems. That means considering open enrollment policies so that children can choose any public school in a district, lateral certification opportunities for trained scientists, mathematicians, and linguists to ease the shortages of qualified teachers in their subject areas, continuation of St. Louis's voluntary transfer program, and expansion of innovative charter schools [such as the Knowledge is Power (KIPP) model] that provide increased choice within the public school framework while remaining accountable to the State Board.
Finally, I wish Ms. Whitmore-Smith the very best in her future endeavors. I hope we have opportunities to find common ground and work together on some of the above initiatives. And I hope that, in keeping with tradition and the historical mission of the State Board, Governor Blunt's future nominees have more extensive experience in public education.
U.S. Senator Kit Bond today issued the following statement on the passing of former President Gerald Ford:
"Gerald was a kind and decent man who led this nation in a difficult and divisive time. A respected leader in the House, he brought a conciliatory, frank, and open attitude to the White House which gave him the respect of people on both sides of the aisle. He was a wonderful person to know and will always have a warm spot in our hearts. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Betty Ford and his family."
Gov. Matt Blunt today announced that all flags at state facilities in Missouri will be flown at half-staff to honor the memory of President Ford.
"President Gerald Ford was a man of solid character," Blunt said. "He led our country with integrity during a difficult time and for that we should all be grateful."
The governor's order to lower flags follows a presidential order to lower flags at all federal facilities. Flags will remain at half-staff for a period of 30 days in accordance with the presidential order.
State Senator Maida Coleman announced that she was not running for state auditor.
Fallout from the videotaped beating of Edmon Burns by Maplewood and St. Louis City police officers continued in February. The Coalition Against Police Crime and Repression held a press conference outside of Maplewood's city hall calling for the firing of all of the officers involved.
The incident helped add to the calls for the creation of a civilian review board. But Mayor Francis Slay said he was "hard pressed to explain" why the media focused on the push to get a civilian review board in the City, but not in other municipalities.
"Does the taped beating suffered by a fleeing suspect at the hands of several pursuing Maplewood police officers and a single City officer support the conclusion that the City of St. Louis – but not Maplewood nor any other local police jurisdiction – needs a civilian review board for its police department?" wrote Slay on his blog.
On February 2, Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt lost his bid to become the new Republican majority leader in the House. Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) beat out the pop of Gov. Matt Blunt.
Northside Aldermen Bennice Jones-King and Freeman Bosley, Sr. said citizens should be "outraged" by the decision to move the Annie Malone parade out of north St. Louis.
A decision by the State Tax Commission to side with Nestle Purina in its case against Tax Assessor Ed Bushmeyer and the City of St. Louis meant that the company would pay taxes on its property valued at $19 million and not the $47 million that the city had assessed. That openned the door for other St. Louis companies to seek re-evaluations of their property taxes, costing the city and our public schools millions of dollars.
At a meeting of the Public Safety Committee. Alderman Charles Quincy Troupe (D-1) called upon the City's Land Reutilization Authority (LRA) to improve the way they maintain and sell their property.
The LRA maintains, markets, and sells acquired properties and performs land assemblage for future development. Land assemblage (or "land banking") can take decades. In the meantime, critics argue, buildings sit in unsafe and undesirable conditions. This is a very large problem in north St. Louis, where many blocks look more like war zones than part of a city experiencing a comeback.
Gov. Blunt appointed former journalist and anchorman Julius Hunter to the St. Louis Police Board.
Angeletta McCormick Frank resigned as a Republican commissioner with the St. Louis Board of Elections to become Community Liason for Senator Talent.
In his St. Louis Schools Watch newsletter, school board candidate Peter Downs reported that food vendor Aramark served moldy apples and wormy oranges to SLPS students.
Responding to comments by Comptroller Darlene Green saying that perhaps it was time to cut back from 100% TIFs to maybe 50% so that developers and new residents would start to help pay for schools and police, developer Kevin McGowan told the Post-Dispatch that was "a terrible idea... I think the timing is not right." He said the time will be right when he and his colleagues can sell $300,000 to $500,000 lofts in 30 days. Right now, he says it takes him six to 12 months. Boo frickin' hoo. Could it be because of the schools and the crime?
Alderman Greg Carter (D-27) later introduced a bill that would have required future TIF projects to pay a minimum of 50% of taxes on any residential component of the redevelopment.
PUB DEF called attention to the continuing conflict of interest that is Barb Geisman, Mayor Slay's deputy mayor of development, and her live-in boyfriend, Richard Callow, lobbyist for several companies doing big business with the city and reaping millions in city tax dollars.
Concerned that the St. Louis school board's willingness to sharply raise its superintendent's salary will have an inflationary affect on smaller school districts around the state, State Rep. Terry Young (R-49), of Independence, MO, introduced the bill which sought to limit a school superintendent's salary to 1.5 times the highest teacher's salary.
Rev. Nathaniel Colewas killed as a car being chased by police collided with the car carrying Cole and his wife.
Congressman Lacy Claysigned onto House Resolution #635 calling for an investigation of possible grounds for impeachment of President George W. Bush.
Scott Leiendecker, the Republican elections director for St. Louis City, testified in favor of Senate Bill 1014, which required a photo ID be shown at the time of voting.
On Feb. 15, the school board approved a plan by Superintendent Creg Williams to make some big changes in the City's public schools. The plan, which was kept secret until the night of the vote, included no public input, and was never funded, included mandatory school uniforms at some schools, separate 9th grade academies, year-round school for 9th graders, some all-boy and all-girl schools, and smaller "learning academies". PUB DEF exclusively reported that Capitol Police were called after Luther Boykins, Jr., the brother of State Rep. Amber Boykins, confronted State Rep. Rodney Hubbard about his support of one of Boykins' state senate opponents. According to police reports, Boykins said he would "not let anyone fuck with his sister."
Also in February, Dorrie Wise, owner of DKW Construction, found the body of a dead raccoon hanging from a rope on her construction site on the I-64 project in St. Clair County. After seeing the "lynched coon", Wise said she immediately called her union and advocates of the black contracting community. "It's 2006 and we've still got to deal with this," Wise told reporters, shaking her head.
Aldermen Craig Schmid and Jennifer Florida butted heads after Schmid ignored the tradition of "aldermanic courtesy" and spoke against a proposed McDonald's development in Florida's ward. Florida said she felt like she was "slapped" or "beat up" and was "completely blindsided". "I question his ethics," Florida told the Post-Dispatch. "I would not do that to an enemy. Let alone a colleague."
With the school board race shifting into high gear, PUB DEF began to beef up our video offerings and stalked the candidates from forum to forum. In this video, the candidates were asked at a 1st Ward forum, What is the biggest problem with the school board?
An unidentified man walked in front of City Grocers protesting the fact that downtown's only grocery store does not accept EBT cards (food stamps), something we reported back in October 2005.
Washington University renamed its the Hilltop Campus after William H. Danforth, life trustee and chancellor emeritus.
State Rep. Sherman Parker, the Missouri House's lone black Republican, went to Washington to be a panelist in a debate on the impact of the Bush Administration's policies on African Americans.
Wrapping up the month, we ventured south for the annual celebration of beer, boobs and beads known as the Soulard Mardi Gras. Click here to see our photos (viewer discretion is advised).
In January, the local chapter of the ACLU announced a plan to arm northside residents with video cameras to protect themselves from police attacks.
A few weeks later, the beating of 33 year-old Edmon Burns by Maplewood and St. Louis City police officers was caught on tape by local television helicopter cameras and became national news.
Alderman Phyllis Young (D-7) took a page from the Bush Administration's playbook and counted on ignorance as the best defense of stupidity in defending why the city picked Nov. 3 to send a local Muslim group a letter notifying them that they had to shut down the house of prayer. That date just happens to be the day of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan.
"No one is familiar enough with their religious holidays to purposely send a letter at that time," said Young.
Shortly before Mardi Gras, Alderman Ken Ortmann (D-9) introduced a bill to lessen the penalties for public urination. The bill was co-sponsored by Alderman I.P. Freely.
At the beginning of the year, State Sen. Maida Coleman was looking for a new job -- any job! After forming a committee to run for state auditor, Coleman said she was then thinking about about running against Mike McMillan for license collector. Neither panned out and she was happy to be re-elected later in the year as the Democratic leader in the senate.
On Jan. 18, former Speaker of the U.S. House Newt Gingrichspoke before the full body of the Missouri Senate during regular session in the Senate chamber.
With Mayor Francis Slay, President Jim Shrewsbury, and senior Alderman Phillis Young out of town, Alderman Fred Wessels was briefly acting mayor of the City of St. Louis.
The campaign for school board quickly got nasty with the circulation of a flier which depicted then-school board president Darnetta Clinkscale as "Aunt Jemima" and recently-appointed board member James Buford as "Uncle Tom". The leaflet claimed to be paid for by an organization called "St. Louis for Kids Too!", but there was no such committee registered with the Missouri Ethics Commission.
The bill to create a civilian review board moved closer to a vote by the full Board of Aldermen. Here's our video (Can you appreciate how much better these videos have gotten?).
On Jan. 24, a phone call from PUB DEF to Kay Gabbert, VP of The Roberts Companies, was the first that Mike and Steve Roberts had heard of the news that they had just lost their UPN network. "I'm in the middle of everybody that owns TV stations," Mike Roberts said on his cell phone at a TV convention in Las Vegas. "Nobody knew."
Statistics released in January by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department showed violent crime in the city increased nearly 20% -- Coincidently, that nearly matched the proposed raise in pay for the city's top cop, Chief Joe Mokwa. Hmmmmmm.
Also in January, PUB DEF published letters from Sister Mary Ann McGivern written from the Middle East, where she observed firsthand Hamas' victory in that region's historic elections.
Alderman Craig Schmid sponsored a bill that sought to make it illegal to own large speakers -- not just play loud music, but simply owning the equipment! To add injury to insult, the law allows the police to take a citizen's car (before being found guilty) and force them to pay a fine of $250 to $500.
And Resurrection Lutheran Church, on the corner of West Florissant and Fair Avenues in north St. Louis, was destroyed by fire last night. Click here to see Channel 2's report.
