Will STL E&A, Tax Districts Go To AG Sunshine School?

Pleased to share that there has been a Transparency Win regarding St. Louis City’s Board of Estimate & Apportionment. On June 24th, E&A began publishing Exhibits with Agendas on City’s website.
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An interesting development in enforcement of Missouri’s Sunshine Law happened last week in a city of 6,344 in southwest Missouri. It could impact government entities in St. Louis City, including the powerful Board of Estimate and Apportionment (E&A: Mayor, Comptroller, Board of Alders President).

The City of Willard has ben slapped on the wrist by the Missouri Attorney General’s Office and told they have to attend Sunshine School. At issue was the use of the generic Agenda topic “Unfinished Business” by Willard’s Board of Aldermen. (paywall) The AG’s Office says it should also include sub-topics detailing points of discussion.

That’s potentially huge because many St. Louis City special tax districts, agencies, and even the Board of E&A routinely use generic categories for Agendas.

As examples, Soulard Special Business District, a taxing district to fund private police and surveillance, and Soulard Community Improvement District, a taxing district to fund improvements with $1.8 Million dollars banked, both use skeleton agendas. They also have an atrocious record of posting late notices or wrong meeting location to the City’s online public meetings calendar.

The significance of E&A failing to provide specifics in their Agendas was highlighted recently when E&A approved more funding for the controversial ShotSpotter contract without public notice.

ShotSpotter is a surveillance product by SoundThinking. While cities have been turning down contract renewals and Chicago may soon dump the program, as promised by its mayor, St. Louis City’s E&A gave the contract a fourth amendment. And it was done, as is most E&A business, without the public notice.

For twenty years, it has been standard practice of E&A to post meeting notices and agendas to the City’s Public Meetings Calendar. The Agenda for the December 20, 2023 E&A Meeting, like most meetings, included:

“Request from the Comptroller’s Office for approval of contracts and leases for various
City departments as listed on Exhibit A.”

“Request from the Comptroller’s Office for approval of intradepartmental and
interdepartmental transfers from various City departments as listed on Exhibit B.”

“Request from the Comptroller’s Office for approval of transfers between projects for
Capital Improvement Funds listed on Exhibit C.”

But no Exhibits, the meat and potatoes of what they’re voting on, is available online for public inspection.

In the case of the December 20 Agenda, ShotSpotter was in Exhibit A, Item 17, hidden from the public. There was no opportunity for the public to contact E&A with concerns.

Item 17, Exhibit A, St. Louis Board of Estimate and Apportionment Agenda, December 20, 2023: ShotSpotter amendment

There was no debate on the ShotSpotter amendment. It was adopted on a 2-1 vote. Mayor Tishaura Jones and Comptroller Darlene Green voted yes; Board President Megan Green voted no.

No E&A Exhibits to Agendas or Meeting Minutes are posted online. How do we know the amendment happened and that the vote was? E&A meetings, usually very short, can be watched via Zoom or City’s YouTube channel.

Screenshot of Tweet by St. Louis Board of Alders President Megan Green regarding her vote against Shotspotter contract amendment

We can see from the YouTube video that Board President Green made a motion to separate ShotSpotter from the rest of the Agenda for the vote. She gave no reason why at the meeting. But, as the meeting ended, 7 minutes after starting, Green Tweeted about her vote against ShotSpotter. A graphic had been prepared in advance.

Why didn’t Green share the ShotSpotter Exhibit item with the public, Privacy Watch STL coalition, etc. before the meeting? That’s a good question.

The next meeting of E&A is 3 pm Wednesday, January 17th. Exhibits A, B, C missing. Again. The secret business is anyone’s guess.

People also Sunshine E&A Exhibits.

“Sunshine Gerry” Connolly usually makes a request as soon as the E&A Agenda is posted online. It can take a day to a month for the documents to show up in the City’s Sunshine Portal.

Screenshot of error message from St. Louis City Sunshine Portal, Public Records Archives

Public access to the Portal’s Public Records Archives is limited to when it is functioning, which is often not the case. It’s been down most of today while I’ve been trying to write this. You have to be persistent when filing a Sunshine request. Try in the morning. Try again in the afternoon. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Big question is why aren’t E&A Exhibits posted with the Agendas? Why the secrecy?

Maybe it’s time for the AG to look at how government entities in St. Louis City comply (or don’t) with Missouri’s Sunshine Law.

It’s definitely time for St. Louis City to have a strong municipal Sunshine Law in the Charter (via amendment by Charter Commission or otherwise) or via ordinance by Board of Alders.

Aldergeddon Campaign Finance Info

Old black and white photo of St. Louis City Hall

The New Ward Profiles include up-to-date campaign finance information for most St. Louis City Alder candidates and ward organizations/political action committees.

Most instead of all because the reports are constantly changing with amended reports and late contribution or late expenditure filings with Missouri Ethics Commission. It’s very hard to keep up with.

There really ought to be a law against raising and spending money the last week of election. Get it done before then. Make that public at least five days before elections. Make it apply to candidates, political action committees, political parties.

Heartbreaking for me, personally, all the candidates taking money from the captains of industry and recipients of corporate welfare known as Civic Progress and Great White Fathers via 21st Century St. Louis PAC. Each accepted $2,600.

New 2nd Ward: 16th Ward Tom Oldenburg

New 3rd Ward: 25th Ward Alder Shane Cohn

New 5th Ward: 10th Ward Alder Joe Vollmer

New 6th Ward: Daniela Velazquez

New 8th Ward: 20th Ward Alder Cara Spencer

New 9th Ward: 28th Ward Alder Michael Gras and Michael Browning

New 11th Ward: 21st Ward Alder Laura Keys

New 13th Ward: 27th Ward Alder Pam Boyd

New 14th Ward: 5th Ward Alder James Page and State Rep. Rasheen Aldridge

Also: Mayor Tishaura Jones, Comptroller Darlene Green, Board President Megan Green

Aldergeddon: New 10th Ward

The new St. Louis City 10th Ward includes parts of current 18th, 26th, 28th Wards, and other Wards, and is the result of Census Redistricting and Ward Reduction.

All 14 New Ward Profiles here.

2023 Alder Primary Results

18+ Population: 17,226
Registered Voters: 13,818 (80.21% Registered)
Total Ballots Cast: 1,360 (9.84% Turnout)
Total Votes Cast, Approval Voting: 1,487 – In St. Louis City Municipal Primary Elections, voters may vote for as many candidates as they want with top two advancing to General Election.
Board President
Megan Green: 1,063
Alder Candidates
Emmett Coleman: 654
Shameem Clark-Hubbard: 833

2023 Alder General Election

Current 26th Ward Alder Shameem Clark Hubbard
Neighborhood: West End
Residence Tax Abated: No
Occupation: former salon owner
Party Office: former 26th Ward Committeewoman
Genealogy: granddaughter of former 4th Ward Alder Joseph Clark Sr.; wife of former State Rep. now lobbyist Rodney R. Hubbard; daughter-in-law of former State Rep. and now 5th Ward Committeewoman Penny Hubbard; sister-in-law of former 5th Ward Alder Tammika Hubbard
2023 Alder Primary: 1st place of 2 candidates, 833 Votes of 1,487
Campaign Finance
February 2023 Report: $13,012.50 raised ($2,600 The LOUPAC, $1,500 SEIU MO-KS, $1,500 SEIU Healthcare, $500 Maxine Clark, $100 Assessor Mike Dauphin); $7,868.58 spent (; $11,607.13 on hand, $7,297.58 debt
January 2023 Report #2: $6,525 raised ($500 from lobbyist Jeff Rainford), $2,799.20 spent, $6,463.21 on hand, $7,461.35 debt
January 2023 Report #1: $450 raised, $1,261.08 spent, $2,737.41 on hand, $7,461.35 debt
October 2022 Report: $8,935 raised, $9,159.84 spent (including golf cart for “events and canvassing), $3,548.49 on hand, $7,952.66 debt
Treasurer: Joseph W.B. Clark Jr. (father of Alder Clark-Hubbard)

Candidate for 10th Ward Alder Emmett Coleman
Neighborhood: West End
Property Tax Abated: No
Occupation: realtor; owner of URBNCORE construction with former 8th Ward Alder Steve Conway agent of record
Other Elected Office: former candidate for 8th Ward Alder 2019
2023 Alder Primary: 2nd place of 2 candidates, 654 Votes of 1,487
Campaign Finance
March 2023 Report: $1,595 raised + $1,070 in-kind ($820 OnStage Performing Arts Center- candidate’s partner/treasurer biz using St. Francois County address, $250 URBNCORE- candidate’s company); $1,714.12 spent; $699.45 on hand; $26.48 debt
February 2023 Report: $1,070 raised ($400 from candidate’s family, $250 from Jack PAC treasurer Terence Niehoff); $724.61 spent; $818.57 on hand; $26.48 debt
January 2023 Report #2 Late: $1,350 raised ($500 Higher Vision Network life coach, real estate development, etc), $876.94 spent, $473.18 on hand, $0 debt
January 2023 Report #1: $2,000 raised (from candidate and his family), $1,999.88 spent, $0.12 on hand, $0 debt
Treasurer: Jacqueline Gonzales (Emmett Coleman’s partner; teaches dance at CityStudio; owner of DaysBrighter LLC skincare; owner of OnStage Performing Arts Center; former candidate for 8th Ward Democratic Committeewoman 2020)

Other 2023 Candidates

2023 School Board Candidate Tracy E. Hykes
Neighborhood: West End
Residence Tax Abated: No
Occupation: King Hykes Holding; T.E. Hykes Funding; Hykes King Enterprise
Genealogy: husband of Babette Hykes (Babette Hykes Real Estate Management Services)
Campaign Finance
March 2023 Report: $1,375 raised ($2,000 AFT 420, $250 STL City Labor Legislature Club); $1,392 spent; $2,157.71 on hand; $0 debt
February 2023 Report: $2,535 raised ($1,500 AFT 420, $1,000 Sheet Metal Workers); $0 spent; $2,535 on hand; $0 debt
Treasurer: Tanisha Hemphill (advertising account coordinator at St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Affiliated SOS Filing Friends of Tracy Hykes, LLC

Other Public Officials Residing In Ward

Mayor Tishaura Jones
Neighborhood: West End
Residence Tax Abated: No
Occupation: Mayor
Other Elected Office: former City Treasurer; former State Rep.
Party Office: former 8th Ward Committeewoman
Genealogy: daughter of Virvus Jones- former City Comptroller, former 27th Ward Alder, former City Assessor, author
Campaign Finance
January 2023 Report: $4,896.63 raised, $19,625.34 spent (mostly to Mo Political Consulting), $70,471.42 on hand, $0 debt
October 2022 Report: $82,377.30 raised, $49,980.12 spent (including $18,181.92 to Meyers Okohson Political Consulting), $85,200.13 on hand, $0 debt
Treasurer: Rosetta Okohson (Meyers Okohson Political Consulting)
Affiliated PAC- 314 Forward
January 2023 Report: $0 raised, $5,500 spent, $4,680 on hand, $0 debt
October 2022 Report: $10,080 raised, $4,600 spent, $105,239.35 on hand, $0 debt
Treasurer: Kimberly Morton

Comptroller Darlene Green
Neighborhood: West End
Residence Tax Abated: No
Occupation: Comptroller
Campaign Finance
October 2022 Report: $0 raised, $970 spent, $137,451 on hand, $0 debt
Treasurer: John Nicks

Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner
Neighborhood: DeBaliviere Place
Residence Tax Abated: No
Occupation: Circuit Attorney
Other Elected Office: former State Rep.; former candidate for State Rep. 2008
Campaign Finance
October 2022 Report: $198 raised, 5$94.03 spent, $98,263.29 on hand, $0 debt
Treasurer: self/Kimberly Gardner
Former Affiliated PAC: Missouri Justice & Public Safety PAC
Terminated 12/22/2020

New State Rep. Del Taylor (beat incumbent State Rep Wiley “Chip” Price, now 26th Ward Committeeman)
Neighborhood: West End
Residence Tax Abated: No
Occupation: management consultant; owner of Elite Housing Group
Campaign Finance
January 2023 Report: $1,450 raised, $1,142.82 spent, $555.13 on hand, $55,025.69 debt
December 2022 Report: $65 raised, $1,088.23 spent, $247.95 on hand, $55,025.69 debt
October 2022 Report #2: $350 raised, $275 spent, $1,271.18 on hand, $55,025.69 debt
October 2022 Report #1: $2,933.88 raised, $5,234.25 spent, $1,196.18 on hand, $55,025.69 debt
Treasurer: self/Del Taylor

Ward Committees (PACs)

New 10th Ward Democratic organization: None

New 10th Ward Democratic Organization: None

Current 26th Ward Democratic organization: None

Current 26th Ward Republican organization: None

Political Party Committteepeople

Current 26th Ward Democratic Committeewoman Karla May
Neighborhood: Visitation Park
Residence Tax Abated: No
Occupation: State Senator; owner of BIJ Investments; owner of Bridging Imaginations Jointly Publishing; owner of The Way I See It; was or is longtime AT&T employee; was or is Board member of Coalition of Black Trade Unionists
Other Elected Office: former State Rep.
Other Party Office: Chair of St. Louis Democratic City Central Committee, member of Missouri Democratic Party State Committee
Genealogy: daughter of former Alder/former City Register Parrie May
Campaign Finance
State Senator/State Rep Account
December 2022 Report: $24,936.44 raised, $0 spent, $48,254.47 on hand, $1,291 debt
October #2 2022 Report Amended: $14,794.06, $9,431.90 spent (including $2,172.85 in MEC fines), $23,318.03 on hand, $1,291 debt
October #2 2022 Report: $0 raised, $1,187.73 spent, $17,518.14 on hand, $1,291 debt
October #1 2022 Report: $0 raised, $2,772.93 spent, $18,705.87 on hand, $1,291 debt
Treasurer: self/Karla May
Committeewoman Account
October 2022 Report: Limited Activity
Previous Report with activity- October 2018 Report: $7,250 on hand, $0 debt
Treasurer: Rosalyn Winston

Current 26th Ward Democratic Committeeman Wiley “Chip” Price
Also See: Democrat censured by Missouri House after ethics investigation threatens lawsuit
Neighborhood: uses a P.O. Box
Residence Tax Abated:
Occupation:
Other Elected Office: former State Rep.
Genealogy: son of former 26th Ward Alder candidate Leata Price-Land; son of award winning St. Louis American newspaper photographer Wiley Price
Campaign Finance
State Rep. Candidate Account Terminated 09/02/2022
September 2022 # Report: $4,000 (including $1,200 from former Mayor Freeman Bosley Jr and $1,000 from Voice of the People at address for Rosalyn Winston, State Senator Karla May’s Treasurer), $10,187.80 spent, $0 on hand, $0 debt
Treasurer: Ashley Clemon (also Treasurer for State Rep. LaKeySha Bosley; Treasurer for 4th Ward Dwinderlin Evans, former Treasurer for 26th Ward Alder candidate Leata Price-Land)
* No party committeeman account filed at MEC

Current 26th Ward Republican Committeewoman Susan Gladney**
Neighborhood: Skinker DeBaliviere
Residence Tax Abated: No
Occupation: lab manager at Washington University School of Medicine
Campaign Finance
* No party committeewoman account filed at MEC

Current 26th Ward Republican Committeeman Andrew Gladney**
Neighborhood: Skinker-DeBaliviere
Residence Tax Abated: No
Occupation: consultant
Campaign Finance
* No party committeeman account filed at MEC

Former Public Officials

Former State Senator Joe Keaveny
Neighborhood: Skinker DeBaliviere
Residence Tax Abated: No
Occupation: attorney; workers compensation administrative law judge at Missouri Department of Labor (Governor Jay Nixon appointee); previously at US Bank
Elected Office: former State Senator 2009-2016; former candidate for St. Louis School Board 2005
Party Office: former 28th Ward Democratic Committeeman
Future Election: 8/6/2024 Primary Election, Statewide Office
Campaign Finance
MEC account says running in 8/6/2024 Primary Election for Statewide Office
July 2021 to October 2022: Limited Activity
April 2021 Report: $0 raised, $288 spent, $168,641.65 on hand, $0 debt
Treasurer: self/Joe Keaveny

* Political Party County Central Committee ward and township committeepeople have the option to file their campaign finance reports with their county election authority- Board of Election Commissioners in the case of St. Louis City- or online with Missouri Ethics Commission. The St. Louis City Board of Election once posted pdfs of ward committeepeople campaign finance reports to the Board’s website. That is no longer the case. To inspect records, you must visit the Board in person.

**May be the same Susan and Andrew couple in this Riverfront Times article