A group of women legislators, all of whom supported the Distressed Areas Land Assemblage Tax Credit, held a forum at Harris-Stowe University yesterday to inform the public about exactly what it does — and does not — mean for St. Louis.
Before a crowd of about two dozen concerned citizens, State Senators Maida Coleman and Rita Days, State Reps Robin Wright-Jones and Juanita Head Walton, former State Rep Amber Boykins, and Mike Jones, aide to St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley, discussed how economically distressed areas such as the City of St. Louis and parts of St. Louis can benefit greatly from state-provided economic incentives to spur needed development.
The public forum provided details and facts in the face of misinformation being put out by some other local elected officials, most notably Alderman Charles Quincy Troupe, who beyond all explanation testified strongly in favor of the tax credit before the House committee (watch the video), but the next day said he was against it and charged that it was a continuation of the Team Four plan.
Troupe is hosting a meeting of his own Wednesday, along with Aldermen Freeman Bosley, Sr., Marlene Davis, and April Ford-Griffin (who was scheduled to be at an event yesterday with tax credit supporters Jeff Smith and Rodney Hubbard).
Perhaps the most informative part of the Harris-Stowe forum was a presentation by Sally Hemingway with the Missouri Department of Economic Development detailing the Distressed Areas Land Assemblage Tax Credit — who can apply for, what it can and cannot be used for, why condemned and eminent domained property will not qualify for the tax credit, and how many areas in the state could potentially benefit from its use.
We may post one or two more videos from this event at PubDef.TV later tonight.
