Photograph courtesy Wikimedia Commons, Astuishin
It's been nine years since St. Louis voters overwhelmingly rejected four proposed amendments to the city charter.
Penned by a “citizens’ group” called Advance St. Louis, which included some the region’s most influential business and civic leaders, the failed amendments could have led to a reduction in the size of the board of aldermen and reorganization of city offices that perform county functions. Two years earlier, in November 2002, Missouri voters had unanimously approved a ballot proposal giving St. Louis the right to address its “Home Rule," with 69.5 percent of votes.
At the time, Mayor Francis Slay was in the final year of his first term. It looked like the four amendments easily would pass—but it didn’t happen.
First, there was staunch opposition from within the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, including its president at the time, Jim Shrewsbury. Alderman Freeman Bosley Sr. said in July 2004 that he was happy the bill would be voted on that November. “There are more people showing up on the November ballot because the president is running," he said. "And we’ve got a better chance of defeating this mess and putting it to bed once and for all."
Now in his historic fourth term, Slay is looking for new ways to "streamline St. Louis government and instill more power in the mayor’s office," according to the Post-Dispatch. City counselor Patricia Hageman has been asked to scrutinize the city charter to find ways to increase mayoral authority and modernize city government. Despite his opposition's protests, Slay insists "this is not about a power grab.”
Slay apparently wants the power to approve some city contracts without needing approval from the two other members of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed and Comptroller Darlene Green. Earlier, the mayor sought the approval of a contract to hire Veolia Water as a consultant to the city’s water division, but some feared the move would be the first step to privatizing the city’s water operation. Slay's latest efforts also could lead to more control over the city budget director's office, a position that's currently independent of the mayor’s office.
Reed already has threatened to file a lawsuit if Slay does find a way to sidestep the the Board of Estimate and Apportionment. “The day Mayor Francis Slay signs a contract and commits the city under a contract without going through the appropriate channels, I will file a lawsuit,” he told KMOX.
It may be awhile before this power struggle is settled. After all, the charter's been in place since 1914. If there are changes that increase power in Room 200, it's possible that Slay won't still be in office by that time.
Commentary by Alvin Reid
