The two competing proposals for how the city ought to spend the Rams settlement money each became a little bit more like the other yesterday.
Alderwoman Pam Boyd, sponsor of GSI-backed Board Bill 131, told SLM at the Housing, Urban Development and Zoning Committee hearing that she feels confident that with a few tweaks, her bill will pass out of committee and go to the full board. “I think it went good,” she said. “I think the community supports it. That’s what we need.”
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One update to the bill made yesterday by Boyd says that in addition to the $100 million for downtown and the $130 million for needy neighborhoods already proposed, $50 million will go to citywide water infrastructure—something Boyd said Aldermen Anne Schweitzer and Michael Browning were interested in. Browning and Schweitzer, perhaps not coincidentally, sit on the HUDZ committee. Also perhaps not coincidentally, this in some ways mirrors a provision for a $40 million citywide water fund present in the other bill proposing how to spend the Rams windfall.
To Boyd’s point about community support, numerous audience members in the room wore red “I support Board Bill 131” stickers. One of them, developer Alex Oliver, said in public comments that the bill sends a clear message: “The city is investing in the city. Why don’t you join us?”
Comptroller Darlene Green, who was also present, told SLM that she favors Boyd’s bill, saying that a $200 million two-to-one dollar match from the business community for the downtown dollars is an important opportunity for leverage. “Let’s go after that,” she said. “That’s the fiscally responsible thing to do.”
By contrast, Green is no fan of the other bill’s plan to set up endowments with new supervisory boards to oversee them. “Who needs the bureaucracy?”
Alderman Rasheen Aldridge, for his part, was more skeptical of the two-to-one match only going to downtown, and not North City. “It’d be great if the north side could also get that love,” said Aldridge.
The competing bill for the city’s Rams money, called the TRANSFORM STL Act, is sponsored by Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier, who is vice chair of HUDZ, in addition to having backing from Mayor Tishaura Jones and Aldermanic President Megan Green. Sonnier’s bill would create funds and dole out the millions more slowly. After yesterday, it is looking more likely that whatever ends up passing may be a mixture of the two. “They seem to be coming closer together,” said Schweitzer. Either bill would need the support of a majority of the six-member committee to get to the full Board of Aldermen.
Schweitzer wasn’t the only one speaking of compromise yesterday. After discussion on Boyd’s bill ended, the committee moved onto Sonnier’s bill, which had its own updates, including an amendment that would prioritize downtown, North City, and Southeast City neighborhoods in their ability to access one of TRANSFORM funds dedicated to affordable housing. Those are the same neighborhoods that stand to see the most investment from Boyd’s bill. HUDZ voted their approval of that amendment, as well as two other, more technical changes to Sonnier’s bill.
Speaking to Boyd and members of Greater St. Louis Inc, Sonnier said, “If you really look at the text of these bills, they really are getting closer and closer.” She added: “Let’s be leaders. Let’s get in a room and let’s have a conversation, because we have mutual interest.”
Megan Green issued a statement yesterday evening after the hearing, saying she was, “proud to announce a significant step toward building consensus with Greater St. Louis. After meeting with and listening to GSL representatives and Alderwoman Boyd last week, we believe this amendment offers a way to prioritize downtown, North City and Southeast City neighborhoods while honoring our commitment to investing in the people who live and work in our city.”
Also yesterday, HUDZ sent to the full board a bill authorizing a break on the city earnings tax for new employees hired by accounting firm Anders as they plan to double their 230-person workforce in the Bank of America building downtown. The tax break is worth $1 million. Anders says they plan to invest much more than that in their office space.
