Tag: City of St. Louis

Will St. Louis Cancel Contract with Murder for Hire Defendant?

Fail Stamp

This is a follow up to  St. Louis Hires Murder Suspect’s Company for Demo Contract and St. Louis Electeds Repped in Decision to Contract with Accused Murderer

Thursday afternoon, January 8th, a new meeting notice appeared on the City of St. Louis Public Meetings Calendar. It caught the attention of more than a few people.

The notice was for a meeting a week later. 10:30 am Thursday, January 15th, there will be a “Special” meeting (meaning not a regular weekly or monthly meeting), Zoom only, of the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority (LCRA) Board. 

The LCRA Board was the second City entity to approve a $3,692,000 contract with S. Shafer Excavating Inc for environmental remediation and demolition services at 4690 and 4700 Goodfellow Blvd, a 16.45-acre former ammunition plant site.

LCRA spent less than ten minutes on the contract at their December 16th meeting. The Illinois company is owned and run by Sammy J. Shafer Jr., whose murder-for-hire trial is set for April in Madison County. It’s alleged that Shafer Jr. was the mastermind and paid for the murder of Portia Rowland, who had planned to marry his wife, Sarah, after their divorce.

The contract killing never came up in the LCRA meeting.

We don’t know if the murder case came up at the meeting of the first City entity to approve, recommend, the contract with S. Shafer Excavating. There are no Minutes or video available online for the December 9th meeting of the City’s Substantial Awards Selection Committee.

It was there that the contract for services on the Goodfellow site was discussed, mostly in closed session, and Shafer’s company recommended. Members of the Substantial Awards Selection Committee include representatives of Mayor Cara Spencer, Comptroller Donna Baringer, and Board of Alders President Megan Green.

This Thursday’s meeting has no agenda posted yet but it might very well include canceling the contract with Shafer Excavating.

But what about accountability? Who is to blame for no background check on Shafer Excavating? Is it an isolated instance at St. Louis Development Corporation, LCRA’s boss, or is this a systemwide failure on contracts?

What was the role of the Substantial Awards Selection Committee, which includes the offices of the three most powerful positions in City government, in this mess? None of them have come forward to say it was a mistake and they’ll do better. I suppose it does take time to find a scapegoat.

And where are St. Louis City Alders on this?

Silence is complicity.

How is the lack of a background check on potential contractors being fixed? Will there be a committee appointed to study the situation and issue a report absolving elected and mayoral appointed officials and identifying a scapegoat? It would not be the first.

St. Louis Electeds Repped in Decision to Contract with Accused Murderer

St. Louis Substantial Awards Selection Committee Agenda for December 9, 2025, meeting

Updated 01/11/2026 Will St. Louis Cancel Contract with Murder for Hire Defendant?

This is an Update to St. Louis Hires Murder Suspect’s Company for Demo Contract.

It turns out that the Board for St. Louis City Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority is not the only City entity that had a say on awarding the $3,692,000 contract to S. Shafer Excavating.

The contract is for environmental remediation and demolition services at 4690 and 4700 Goodfellow Blvd, a 16.45-acre former ammunition plant site.

The company is run by Sammy J. Shafer Jr, accused of murder for hire. The alleged driver is Marty D. Shaw, Shafer Jr.’s employee. The alleged shooter is Gary D. Johnson, previously convicted of a different murder, and Shaw’s cousin.

The three are accused of the January 21, 2025, murder of Portia Louise Rowland in Collinsville, Illinois. Rowland was the girlfriend of Sarah Shafer, Shafer Jr.’s wife. She was living with her at the time of the murder. They intended to be married after Shafer’s divorce was finalized.

Shafer Jr. allegedly provided the gun used in the murder and left the $10,000 payment in an excavator at his home. His trial is set for April 27, 2026.

Before LCRA awarded the contract to the accused murder’s company on December 16, 2025, there was a December 9th meeting of the City’s Substantial Awards Selection Committee in which the contract for services on the Goodfellow site was discussed, mostly in closed session. This was the meeting where it was decided to recommend S. Shafer Excavating to LCRA.

Members of the Substantial Awards Selection Committee include representatives of Mayor Cara Spencer, Comptroller Donna Baringer, and Board of Alders President Megan Green.

The only records of the committee posted online are Agendas. No meeting materials, exhibits, etc. No Meeting Minutes. No meeting videos. A Transparency Fail.

Did no one from the Board of Estimate and Apportionment- Mayor, Comptroller, Board President- bother to do a records check on Sammy Shafer Jr. and his company?

Or did they just ignore the information readily available?

St. Louis Hires Murder Suspect’s Company for Demo Contract

Portia Louise Rowland, obituary photo
Sammy J. Shafer Jr., mugshot
Illinois Secretary of State document showing agent change for Shafer Excavating
St. Louis Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority Resolution authorizing contract with Shafer Excavating

This story has an update here dated January 11, 2026

This story has an update here dated January 5, 2026.

Portia Louise Rowland was murdered shortly after 6:06 am on January 21, 2025, in the driveway of her home in Collinsville, Illinois. She died from multiple gunshot wounds.

Sarah Shafer, her girlfriend, was in the home at the time of the murder.

The alleged murder getaway vehicle was found in St. Louis County, Missouri. The alleged driver, Marty D. Shaw, 33, Collinsville, was charged in Illinois with two counts of First Degree Murder as an accomplice in the killing.

Next, Gary D. Johnson, 44, East St. Louis, was arrested as the shooter, two counts of First Degree Murder as well as one count of Felon in possession of a Weapon. After the shooting, he allegedly changed clothes and went to a casino. Johnson had previously been convicted of a murder in 1997.

On January 25th, Sammy J. Shafer Jr., 36, Caseyville, was arrested outside his home and charged with two counts of First Degree Murder and two counts of Solicitation/Murder for Hire in the death of Rowland. It’s alleged that he paid $10,000 for the hit.

Shafer Jr., it is alleged, hired Johnson to kill Rowland, whom he considered a romantic rival. Sarah Shafer, Shafer’s wife, divorce pending, and Portia Rowland had planned to marry, according to prosecutors.

Shafer Jr. is President of S. Shafer Excavating and Demolition, a company based in Pontoon Beach, Illinois, registered with Illinois Secretary of State, File #73632633. His father, Sammy J Shafer Sr., also of Caseyville, is Secretary of the company.

On April 17, 2025, the company changed its registered agent from Shafer Jr. to Tammy Shafer, his mother.

The company is also registered with Missouri Secretary of State as S. Shafer Excavating Inc.

Shafer Jr. is scheduled to go to trial on April 27, 2026.

On December 16, 2025, the Board for St. Louis City’s Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority spent less than ten minutes rubberstamping a $3,692,000 contract with S. Shafer Excavating Inc for environmental remediation and demolition services at 4690 and 4700 Goodfellow Blvd, a 16.45-acre former ammunition plant site.

The murder case never came up at the meeting (YouTube video of meeting, Shafer contract starts at 6:55).

Three LCRA Board members voted for the contract: Sean Spencer, executive director for Tower Grove Community Development Corporation; attorney Kennard Jones; and business consultant Lori Koenig. Two Board members were absent: attorney Matthew McBride, who runs Nexus PAC, and Lindsey Evans, a senior project manager at PGAV Planners.

LCRA is one of ten boards appointed by St. Louis City’s mayor to facilitate the mayor’s economic development agenda via blighting, corporate welfare, sale of land owned by the city, under the umbrella organization St. Louis Development Corporation. The director of SLDC is also appointed by the mayor.

The Goodfellow industrial site will be cleaned up at public expense for a redevelopment. Mayor Cara Spencer and her SLDC director Otis Williams have not announced what that development will be.

I know what you’re thinking, “Innocent until proven guilty.”

Correct.

But Plot Twist. Shafer Jr. is not the only alleged connection between the murder of Portia Rowland and S. Shafer Excavating and Demolition.

The getaway vehicle was registered to Tammy Shafer, Shafer Jr.’s mother, now agent for the company. She is not a suspect.

However, suspect Marty D. Shaw, alleged driver of the vehicle, was or still is employed by the company. Shaw is also the cousin of suspect Gary D. Johnson, the alleged shooter.

Shafer Jr. allegedly provided the gun used in the murder and left the $10,000 payment in an excavator at his home.

While not a concern for Mayor Spencer, SLDC Director Williams, or the LCRA Board, it was a concern in Springfield, Illinois, which already had a contract with the company.

Either SLDC did not perform a records check on Shafer Jr. and his company or it was ignored. Here’s what I found in fifteen minutes. Some articles are now stored at Internet Archive Machine because of paywall and desire to have sources available to all.

November 19, 2025 Belleville News-Democrat: Nearly 150 on witness list for metro-east husband’s murder-for-hire trial

June 16, 2025, Belleville News-Democrat: Attorneys debate if Caseyville husband who allegedly hired hitman can get fair trial“

February 14, 2025, KTVI TV: Alleged orchestrator in Collinsville murder-for-hire set for court appearance

February 5, 2025 KMOV TV: Man at center of murder-for-hire plot denied pre-trial release

February 5, 2025 Belleville News-Democrat: Prosecutor: Caseyville businessman planned murder-for-hire for months, provided the gun

January 29, 2025, Belleville News-Democrat: High-profile attorney represents man charged in Collinsville murder-for-hire case

January 28, 2025 St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Victim’s girlfriend’s husband charged in murder-for-hire scheme in Collinsville

January 27, 2025, Belleville News-Democrat: Caseyville businessman accused of hiring hitman to kill wife’s girlfriend in Collinsville

More Data Center Money Went to Mayor Spencer

Man with giant green money bag

On February 22nd, Rodney H. Thomas, of Armory data center developer THO Investments, donated $12,500 to Spencer’s PAC.

In addition to data center developer Jerald Kent donating $80,000 over the past two years to 21st Century St. Louis PAC, the legal money laundry for Greater St. Louis, he made donations to other campaign committees.

On February 20th of this year, twelve days before the St. Louis City mayoral primary election, Kent gave $25,000 to A Brighter Future for St Louis PAC, the pac for now Mayor Cara Spencer. That money helped fund media buys, negative advertising against incumbent Mayor Tishaura Jones.

As earlier reported, he also donated the max of $2,600 to the then 8th Ward Alder and candidate for Mayor on the same day.

Kent is the Chairman and CEO of Tierpoint and Cequel 3, data center developers. It’s highly likely Kent and/or his attorneys influenced, if not actually the author or put stamp of approval on, Mayor Spencer’s  Executive Order 92 on data centers.

Transparency Fail. Spencer’s PAC also received $4,000 on March 31st from John M Baragiola III, his occupation/employer is identified on the April quarterly campaign report as “NA/ — Retired.” Baragiola is actually President and owner of Falcon Technologies, a company that sells materials for IT infrastructure. He also gets farm subsidies.

More Data Center $ for Greater St. Louis PAC

Man with giant green money bag

How Much Does A St. Louis City Alder Seat Cost? has been updated to reflect new donations to 21st Century St. Louis PAC, the legal money laundry of Greater St. Louis.

Two 48 Hour Reports totalling $40,000 by Jerald Kent, Chairman and CEO of Tierpoint and Cequel 3, data center developers, were made in December.

Transparency Fail. The August 11, 2025, contribution to 21st Century St. Louis PAC should have been reported by 48 Hour Report in August and then also in the PAC’s October Report. It was not reported until December 22nd. This should result in fines from Missouri Ethics Commission for failure to disclose in a timely manner.

In September, St. Louis City Mayor Cara Spencer issued Executive Order 92 on data centers, probably written by a lobbyist.

In October, the St. Louis City Board of Alders passed Resolution 111 on data centers that was not worth the paper it is printed on.

Greater St. Louis is the successor organization from the merger and rebranding of Civic Progress, Downtown STL, St. Louis Regional Chamber, Arch to Park, and AllianceSTL.

Tierpoint lists three data centers in the St. Louis area among their many facilities, including two in Downtown at 1111 Olive and 2300 Locust.

The Locust data center counts Greater St. Louis, Ameren electric company, and St. Louis Development Corporation, the City’s corporater welfare agency, among its partners.

1111 Olive was a 2010 TIF redevelopment and part of State Auditor Nicole Galloway’s 2020 audit on deficiencies in Tax Increment Financing in St. Louis.

Unlike Missouri MAGA Governor Mike Kehoe, who wants to get rid of the State’s income tax, Tierpoint notes the state is a “Strategic Location” “With a low corporate income tax rate… recognized for its low costs and pro-business environment” and “The state incentivizes the building and expansion of data centers with sales and use tax exemptions.”

Plans to redevelop St. Louis Armory into a data center met public opposition and the developer has failed to answer all questions raised.

Updated Mo & St. Louis City Candidate Qualifications, Requirements

2026 is an election year. In Missouri, State Auditor and all US House of Representative seats are up. In St. Louis City, there’s an election for State Senator (open seat due to term limits); all State House seats; County offices of Collector of Revenue, License Collector, Recorder of Deeds; a Community College seat representing southwest City; and two School Board seats up in November.

I tried to update the blog page for information on running for public office in St. Louis City and Missouri but there’s missing information because…

  • St. Louis School Board has no information on November candidate filing process and neither does Board of Election
  • St. Louis Community College Board of Trustees has no information on April Subdistrict 3 candidate filing process and neither does Board of Election

Sinquefields Donate to Nexus PAC. Again

Man with giant green money bag

Updated 01/10/2026 with January 2026 Report filed with Missouri Ethics Commission including money TO Bosley Family charity and State Rep Nick Kimble as well as elected officials elsewhere in Missouri as well as South Carolina and Illinois; and money from Pharmaceutical Care Management Association.

Updated 11/28/2025 with additional information from Missouri Ethics Commission: Contributions TO Progress PAC, St. Louis City Board President Megan Green; St. Louis City Comptroller Donna Baringer; and dozens to electeds outside of St. Louis City as well as other PACs; plus October contributions FROM developer McCormack Baron Salazar and airport concessionaire OHM KCI JA LLC. Also added a note about Nexus PAC Treasurer’s failure to recuse himeself from economic development board votes benefiting Nexus PAC donors.

Free market, anti tax, school privatization evangelists and high roller campaign contributors Rex and Jeannne Sinquefield made a $25,000 donation this week to Nexus PAC (not their first), the legal campaign money laundry for Nexus Group, a prominent lobbying shop in Missouri.

Some of Nexus Group’s current and past clients include various school privatization organizations (that’s probably what the Sinquefield money is for), Airbnb Inc, and developers.

But wait. There’s more.

The Treasurer for Nexus PAC is attorney Matthew McBride. McBride also sits on a number of economic development boards for the City of St. Louis. He chairs the St. Louis City Port Authority Commission and also serves on the City’s St. Louis Development Corporation Board, Enhanced Enterprise Zone Board, Land Clearance for Redevlopment Authority, Planned Industrial Expansion Authority.

Preservation Square redeveloper McCormack Baron Salazar is a donor to Nexus PAC but McBride failed to abstain or recuse himself on economic development board votes relating to Preservation Square.

These are powerful entities that authorize corporate welfare for developments. Sometimes these boards act on their own and sometimes what they adopt then goes on to the Board of Alders for approval. Sometimes these boards grant more incentives after Alders have acted, a breathtaking lack of transparency.

Clear to a lot of us who follow the corporate welfare sausage making machine in St. Louis, the treasurer of a PAC that legally launders money from developers, someone who writes campaign checks to City elected officials, should not be appointed to boards, let alone boards with elected officials as members, with millions of dollars in incentives for developers on the table.

But here we are. No one at City Hall seems to see a problem with all this conflict of interest.

The only thing that makes sense, sadly, in all this is Rex Sinquefield donating a lot of money to a PAC for lobbyists who not only represent school privatization interests but also developers who seek tax abatement, which is taking money away from public school kids who Sinquefield despises.

2023-October 2025 Nexus PAC Funders
01/05/2026 $9,400 Pharmaceutical Care Management Assn (Washington DC)
10/07/2025 $10,000 McCormack Baron Salazar (developer)
09/29/2025 $10,000 OHM KCI JA LLC (airport concessions)
09/23/2025 $25,000 Rex and Jeannne Sinquefield
07/29/2025 $20,000 Nexus Group
05/21/2025 $5,000 McCormack Baron Salazar (developer)
03/28/2025 $10,000 Paric Holdings (developer)
02/24/2025 $2,500 OHM KCI JA LLC (airport concessions)
10/29/2024 $40,000 Paric Holdings (developer)
09/30/2024 $16,000 Rex and Jeannne Sinquefield
09/12/2024 $1,000 Invenergy Transmission
09/12/2024 $2,000 Invenergy Transmission
08/12/2024 $6,000 Invenergy Transmission
07/31/2024 $1,000 Invenergy Transmission
07/19/2024 $10,000 Nexus Group
02/07/2024 $2,000 Shelter Insurance, Columbia MO
02/01/2024 $4,000 Shelter Insurance, Columbia MO
01/25/2024 $4,000 Shelter Insurance, Columbia MO
12/18/2023 $6,000 Invenergy Transmission
12/11/2023 $10,000 Paric Holdings (developer)
12/05/2023 $2,000 Nexus Group
11/28/2023 $10,000 Nexus Group
11/13/2023 $15,000 Rex and Jeannne Sinquefield
09/26/2023 $10,000 Paric Holdings (developer)
06/16/2023 $10,000 Paric Holdings (developer)
05/05/2023 $10,000 Paric Holdings (developer)
03/20/2023 $2,000 McCormack Baron Salazar (developer)
02/09/2023 $2,000 Shelter Insurance, Columbia MO
01/27/2023 $4,000 Shelter Insurance, Columbia MO
01/25/2023 $4,000 Shelter Insurance, Columbia MO

2023-October 2025 Nexus PAC Contributions to St. Louis City Electeds
10/02/2025 $1,000 Communities First (charity run by Lucinda Frazier, mother of St. Louis City State Rep LaKeySha Bosley and former Alder Brandon Bosley, charity is same address as both their campaign accounts)
10/02/2025 $500 St. Louis City State Rep Nick Kimble
09/30/2025 $2,500 Progress PAC, St. Louis City Board President Megan Green
09/29/2025 $1,600 St. Louis City Comptroller Donna Baringer
06/26/2025 $1,000 St. Louis City Comptroller Donna Baringer
06/17/2025 $2,500 Progress PAC, St. Louis City Board President Megan Green
05/07/2025 $2,500 Progress PAC, St. Louis City Board President Megan Green
04/02/2025 $500 St. Louis City Alder Shane Cohn
03/31/2025 $5,000 A Brighter Future for St Louis PAC, St. Louis City Mayor Cara Spencer
02/28/2025 $2,500 314 Forward PAC, former St. Louis City Mayor Tishaura Jones
02/25/2025 $5,000 Progress PAC, St. Louis City Board President Megan Green
01/23/2025 $500 St. Louis City Treasurer Adam Layne
01/16/2025 $1000 St. Louis City Alder Anne Schweitzer
10/29/2024 $5,000 Progress PAC, St. Louis City Board President Megan Green
10/29/2024 $2,000 St. Louis City Board Prez Megan Green
10/29/2024 $1,000 St. Louis City Alder Shane Cohn
10/29/2024 $1,000 St. Louis City Alder Daniela Velazquez
10/07/2024 $500 St. Louis City State Rep Marty Joe Murray
10/07/2024 $2,400 accused rapist and St. Louis City State Senator Steven Roberts Jr
12/27/2023 $1000 St. Louis City Alder Daniela Velazquez
12/04/2023 $5,000 STL Democratic Coalition, appears to be connected to accused rapist and St. Louis City State Senator Steven Roberts Jr, former State Rep Wiley Price, former Sheriff Vernon Betts; $60,893.08 on hand
04/07/2023 $500 St. Louis City Alder Pam Boyd
03/24/2023 $500 St. Louis City Alder Laura Keys
03/05/2023 $500 St. Louis City Alder Rasheen Aldridge
02/23/2023 $500 St. Louis City Alder Shameem Clark-Hubbard

2023-October 2025 Nexus PAC Contributions to candidates and PACs elsewhere in Missouri and other states

12/18/2025 $2,000 MAGA Hannibal State Rep Chad Perkins
11/12/2025 $750 MAGA Jaackson County State Rep Mike Steinmeyer
11/12/2025 $1,400 St. Louis County State Senator Tracy McCreery
11/05/2025 $1,000 Columbia, South Carolina, City Councilman Sam Johnson
10/22/2025 $500 MAGA Cass County State Rep Sherri Gallick
10/03/2025 $250 Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul
10/02/2025 $2,000 MAGA Jackson County State Rep Ron Fowler
10/02/2025 $500 MAGA Springfield State Rep Bill Owen
09/30/2025 $2,000 St. Louis County State Senator Brian Williams
09/30/2025 $500 St. Louis County State Rep Raychel Proudie
09/29/2025 $1,000 Atlanta GA Mayor Andre Dickens
09/04/2025 $2,000 MAGA Warren County State Rep Jeff Myers
08/27/2025 $2,400 Conservative Solutions for Missouri PAC, MAGA Jefferson County State Senator Mary Elizabeth Coleman (now owns a $1.9M home in Central West End, St. Louis City)
08/27/2025 $2,400 Boone County State Senator Steve Webber
08/27/2025 $2,400 MAGA Scott County State Senator Jamie Burger
08/27/2025 $2,400 MAGA Cole County State Senator Jake Vogel
08/27/2025 $2,400 MAGA St. Francois County State Senator Mike Henderson 
08/27/2025 $2,400 MAGA 1776 PAC
08/27/2025 $2,400 MAGA  Pettis County State Rep Brad Pollitt, now candidate for State Senate
08/27/2025 $1,000 Boone County Commissioner Kip Kendrick, former State Rep
08/27/2025 $1,000 MAGA Lake of the Ozarks State Rep Jeff Vernetti ( also a developer)
08/27/2025 $1,000 MAGA Mid-Missouri Conservative PAC
08/27/2025 $1,000 MAGA Dunklin County State Rep Cameron Bunting Parker
08/27/2025 $1,000 MAGA St. Charles County State Rep Travis Wilson
08/27/2025 $1,000 MAGA Butler County State Rep Hardy Billington
08/27/2025 $500 MAGA St. Charles County State Rep Dave Hinman
08/27/2025 $500 MAGA St. Charles County State Rep Terri Violet
08/27/2025 $500 MAGA Cass County State Rep Bill Irwin
08/27/2025 $500 MAGA Clay County State Rep  Mark Meirath
08/27/2025 $500 MAGA Jefferson County State Rep Cecelie Williams
08/27/2025 $500 MAGA St. Charles County State Rep Scott Miller
03/31/2025 $1,250 Kansas City Councilwoman Ryana Parks-Shaw, candidate for KC Mayor
01/09/2025 $2,400 MAGA Jefferson County State Senator Mary Elizabeth Coleman
11/22/2024 $500 MAGA Lake of the Ozarks State Rep. Jeff Vernetti (also a developer)
10/29/2024 $2,825 MAGA Governor Mike Kehoe
10/18/2024 $2,000 MAGA St. Louis County State Rep Brad Christ
10/07/2024 $2,500 Homefront PAC, Boone County State Senator Steve Webber
10/07/2024 $2,400 MAGA Linvingston County State Senator Rusty Black
10/07/2024 $2,000 Great Northwest PAC (MAGA Livingston County State Senator Rusty Black)
10/07/2024 $2,400 St. Louis County State Senator Doug Beck
10/07/2024 $2,000 DougPAC, St. Louis County State Senator Doug Beck
09/26/2024 $500 Jesus Oset, failed MAGA candidate for Boone County Circuit Judge
09/18/2025 $250 St. Louis County State Rep Mark Boyco
09/18/2025 $500 St. Louis City State Rep Nick Kimble
09/11/2024 $2,000 Kansas City State Rep Ashley Aune
09/03/2024 $2,400 MAGA Stone County MAGA State Senator Brad Hudson
09/03/2024 $2,400 MAGA St. Charles County State Senator Adam Schnelting
08/12/2024 $500 152 Freedom PAC (could not find this in MEC database, address is a UPS store in Poplar Bluff, probably related to MAGA State Rep Hardy Billington)
08/09/2024 $1,000 MAGA Jasper County State Rep Lane Roberts
08/09/2024 $1,000 MAGA Hannibal State Rep Louis Riggs
08/09/2024 $1,000 MAGA Jefferson County State Rep Renee Reuter
08/09/2024 $1,000 MAGA Kansas City State Rep Sean Pouche
08/09/2024 $1,000 MAGA Lincoln County State Rep Doyle Justus
08/09/2024 $1,000 MAGA Clay & Platte Counties State Rep Josh Hurlbert
08/09/2024 $1,000 MAGA Jasper & Newton Counties State Rep Bob Bromley
07/23/2024 $2,400 MAGA Ozark County former State Rep Travis Smith
07/19/2024 $825 MAGA Jasper County former State Rep Cody Smith
07/19/2024 $1,500 America Forward
07/10/2024 $1,000 MAGA Reynolds County former State Rep Chris Dodson Dinkins
07/10/2024 $1,000 MAGA Scott County State Senator Jamie Burger
07/10/2024 $1,000 MAGA Newton & McDonald Counties State Rep Dirk Deaton
07/10/2024 $2,400 Jackson County Leadership PAC, MAGA State Senator Mike Cierpiot
07/10/2024 $2,400 MAGA St. Francoise County State Senator Mike Henderson
07/10/2024 $2,400 Kansas City State Senator Patty Lewis
07/10/2024 $500 MAGA St. Charles County State Rep Travis Wilson
07/10/2024 $500 MAGA Jefferson County State Rep David Casteel
07/10/2024 $500 MAGA Warren County State Rep Jeff Meyers
07/10/2024 $500 Kansas City State Rep Wick Thomas
07/08/2024 $1,000 North County Solidarity PAC (Walton Family- Elbert, Rochelle)
12/23/2023 $2,500 MAGA former Attorney General Andrew Bailey
12/04/2023 $5,000 DougPAC, St. Louis County State Senator Doug Beck
12/04/2023 $5,000 B PAC, St. Louis County State Senator Brian Williams
11/16/2023 $500 MAGA Greene, Christian and Webster Counties State Rep Darin Chappell
11/16/2023 $1,000 Kansas City Councilwoman Ryana Parks-Shaw, candidate for KC Mayor
11/16/2023 $1,000 St. Louis County State Senator Tracy McCreery
11/16/2023 $1000 MAGA Warren County State Rep Jeff Meyers
11/16/2023 $1000 MAGA St. Louis County former State Rep John Diehl
11/16/2023 $2,400 Clay County State Senator Maggie Nurrenbern
11/16/2023 $2,000 Eastside Forward PAC, Kansas City State Senator Barbara Anne Washington
11/16/2023 $2,000 MAGA St. Charles County State Senator Nick Schroer
11/16/2023 $2,000 MAGA Clay and Ray Counties former State Rep Doug Richey
11/16/2023 $2,000 MAGA Saline County State Senator Kurtis Gregory
11/16/2023 $2,500 Missouri United, former St. Louis County MAGA State Rep Dean Plocher
11/16/2023 $2,500 Lincoln PAC, MAGA Springfield State Senator Lincoln Hough
11/16/2023 $2,825 MAGA Buchanan and Platte Counties State Senator Tony Luetkemeyer
10/09/2023 $500 MAGA St. Charles State Rep Travis Wilson
10/06/2023 $1,000 Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee’s campaign for Mayor of Houston
09/28/2023 $2,500 Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee’s campaign for Mayor of Houston
09/14/2023 $2,500 MAGA Springfield State Senator Lincoln Hough
09/06/2023 $1,000 MAGA former Independence State Rep Robert Sauls
09/06/2023 $1000 MAGA Hannibal State Rep Louis Riggs
09/06/2023 $1000 MAGA Kansas City State Rep Sean Pouche
09/06/2023 $1,000 MAGA Clay & Platte Counties State Rep Josh Hurlbert
08/29/2023 $1,000 North County Solidarity PAC (Walton Family- Elbert, Rochelle)
08/29/2023 $1,000 Six County PAC, MAGA pac based in St. Francois County, helped elect Elaine Gannon to Missouri Senate
08/02/2023 $1,000 MAGA Springfield State Rep Alex Riley
08/02/2023 $500 MAGA Dunklin County State Rep Cameron Bunting Parker
08/02/2023 $500 MAGA Lee’s Summit State Rep Jon Patterson
06/25/2023 $1,000 Kansas City Councilwoman Melissa Patterson Hazley
05/16/2023 $1,000 Kansas City State Senator Barbara Washington
05/08/2023 $2,500 MAGA former Attorney General Andrew Bailey
05/04/2023 $2,500 Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson
03/24/2023 $500 former Bellefontaine Neighbors Mayor Tommie Pierson Sr
01/26/2023 $2,400 Columbia State Senator Steve Webber
12/27/2022 $2,500 Page PAC, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page

Returned or Not Delivered Nexus PAC Donations
09/30/2025 $2,000 St. Louis County State Senator Tracy McCreery (reported 01/06/2026)
10/29/2024 $2,825 MAGA former Attorney General Andrew Bailey (reported 07/14/2025)
10/07/2024 $1,900 Boone County State Senator Steve Webber (reported 10/10/2025)
07/08/2024 $1,500 St. Louis City Alder Shameem Clark-Hubbard (reported 07/14/2025)
09/26/2024 $500 Columbia State Rep Steve Webber (reported 12/02/2024)
01/08/2024 $2,175 MAGA former Attorney General Andrew Bailey (reported 04/05/2024)
12/21/2023 $2,825 MAGA Jasper County former State Rep Cody Smith (reported 07/26/2024)
11/16/2023 $2,000 MAGA Livingston County State Senator Rusty Black (reported 07/26/2024)
11/16/2023 $2,000 MAGA Callaway County State Senator Travis Fitzwater (reported 07/26/2024)
10/12/2023 $5,000 United We Stand PAC, connected to Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas (reported 01/16/2024)
10/31/2023 $2,400 MAGA State Rep, unsuccessful Secretary of State candidate Dean Plocher (reported 01/16/2024)
09/28/2023 $1,000 St. Louis County Executive Sam Page (reported 07/26/2024)
09/28/2023 $500 St. Louis City Alder Daniela Velazquez (reported 01/16/2024)
09/12/2023 $1000 Tri-County PAC, not listed in MEC database, might be Professional Firefighters of Tri-County PAC, (reported 01/16/2024)
02/21/2023 $500 St. Louis City Alder Pam Boyd (reported 04/17/2023)
03/09/2022 $1000 ATL for All (reported 02/27/2023)
06/16/2022 $500 MAGA former Caldwell County State Rep Randy Railsback (reported 02/27/2023)
11/28/2022 $1,000 MAGA St. Charles County State Senator Nick Schroer

St. Louis City Needs Tax District Reform

Man with giant green money bag

I am posting the written testimony submitted by Gerry Connolly to St. Louis City Board of Alders Housing and Urban Development Committee on Board Bill 19 to create two single-site tax districts for luxury living Jefferson Arms, a Community Improvement District and Transportation Development District.

Gerry is right about both the Board make up of these tax districts and the need for tax district reforms, which former Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway also recommended in 2019.

In the 2024-25 Board of Alders session, a special committee was created to look into special tax districts, but nothing came of it. The committee was not even renewed for the 2025-26 session.

If you’re on Bluesky, search #TransparencyFail. Most of the posts are about St. Louis City Special Tax Districts (or Local Tax Districts (LTDs) if you’d prefer not to use STDs).

Also check out the ProPublica series: “Policing in St. Louis. Private Policing Firms Patrol Wealthy Neighborhoods” about neighborhood tax districts.

Gerry’s testimony

“Please consider this recommendation to amend Board Bill 19 as follows: change the composition of the boards to ensure that representatives of the developer of property in the Jefferson Arms CID/TDD do not constitute a majority of the board. Officials representing City of St. Louis government should make up a majority of seats on the board. 

BB 19 specifies the CID shall have five board members, the City of St. Louis should therefore have three representatives on the board. 

I have included below an except from my written testimony on the FY 2026 Budget/Operating Plan which outlines eight recommendations to reform the Local Taxing Districts in the City of St.Louis.

  • Budget testimony item 7: Eight reforms for the BOA to enact for Local Taxing Districts (LTDs) It is possible that changes to Missouri law will be necessary in order to accomplish some of the recommendations. The budgets of the 100 plus LTDs in the City likely exceed $50 Million, with taxes and/or special assessments imposed on the public. The vast majority of LTDs operate routinely in violation of Missouri Sunshine law.
  1. Enact all recommendations of the 2019 Missouri Auditor’s report on LTDs. The audit report is available online (See pages 9 – 18 for recommendations)
  2. Place all policing duties funded by LTDs under the command of SLMPD.
  3. Extend community oversight of surveillance technology to all LTDs.
  4. A representative of the following must be appointed to the board of all single-site LTDs: Mayor, Board of Aldermen and Comptroller.
  5. Prohibit developers from controlling single-site districts.
  6. Document all City of St. Louis resources allocated to the LTDs. Such resources include: (i) City funds expended on projects of the LTDs. (ii) city staff attending LTD meetings. (iii) work performed by city staff to support the activities of LTDs. (Examples of city staff: SLMPD personnel when working for the City; Neighborhood Improvement Specialists).
  7. Establish robust Conflicts of Interest regulations for people serving on the boards and committees of LTDs.
  8. Establish a limit on the number of LTD boards on which one person can serve. (Some individuals serve on at least five LTD boards)”

I Sunshined a Record from Governor’s Office, Sigh

I have been trying since January 15, 2025, to find out which St. Louis business organization(s) or business trade association(s) nominated Darryl Gray to the Missouri Workforce Development Board.

Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe’s office, which I contacted on January 16th, says I can expect the record(s) on or before January 31st and they will let me know if the cost is over $50. January 31st would be eleven days after my email to Sunshine@governor.mo.gov.

Letter from Governor Mike Kehoe's Office

I worked for decades in public records preservation and public access. My ass would have been fired if I had told a customer that it might take eleven days to retrieve a record.

The person handling this Sunshine request is Jordan Roling, Deputy General Counsel, a seasoned member of the Missouri Bar since… July 2024.

Roling’s previous jobs, per LinkedIn, were Assistant Tennis Coach at Helias Catholic High School in Jefferson City and summer internships at the Cole County Prosecutor’s Office and U.S. Department of Homeland Security during law school at Mizzou.

Roling’s most recent job, per Missouri Ethics Commission records, was working on the campaign of Mike Kehoe, now his boss as Governor, at $2,500 a month since August plus mileage.

Back to Darryl Gray. He has a business- Gray and Gray Associates, a political consultant business. I wrote about it here. It’s a side story to the Mayor Tishaura Jones v. Sonya Gray, Personnel Director battle. The Mayor is trying to fire her for cause. Sonya Gray is wife of Darry Gray and was, until October 28th, agent for Gray and Gray Associates.

And allow me to insert here that this whole Jones v. Gray thing would not be news click bait if mayors of the City of St. Louis had the authority to hire and fire any cabinet level appointee. The Personnel Director and Police Chief do not serve at the pleasure of the Mayor in St. Louis under the City’s arcane Charter. You want to hold Mayor Tishaura Jones accountable for the Personnel Department or Police Department, hiring and crime? Sorry. The Charter has a confusing chain of command for both. Blame the Charter Commission and Alders for not sending a fix for this mess to voters.

Back to Darry Gray. He was nominated to serve on the Workforce Development Board under former Governor Mike Parson, appointed by Parson. There’s a weird subplot involving accused rapist State Senator Steven Roberts trying to derail nominations. Of course there is.

Darryl Gray holds a “Business Representative” seat on the Board, meaning, per Board’s By Laws, he had to be nominated by one or more local business organizations and business trade associations.

I am trying to find out which business group nominated him. It seems odd that a business group nominated a political consultant to Democratic candidates. Workforce Development Board does not require a parity of political parties. Even more peculiar, a MAGA Governor appointed a Democratic consultant.

The Workforce Development Board said it did not have records. I emailed a Sunshine request to them on January 15th and heard back next day. They didn’t bother to tell me who else to ask for the record(s). This sort of thing annoys me because when I worked at City Hall, a county office, we were not allowed to say, “not my job.” We had to find the correct resource and refer, give the customer the contact info and, if by phone, try and tranfer them.

Since this is a former governor appointment, I decided to email the Governor’s Office regardless of the change in occupants. I had no idea the request would be handled by a recent tennis coach/political campaign worker.

This qualifies as a Sunshine Fail, in my opinion.