ST. LOUIS — City aldermen on Thursday endorsed putting a property tax hike for early childhood education programs on the Nov. 3 election ballot despite concerns that the timing amid the coronavirus-spurred recession isn’t the greatest.
The measure, which will come up for final board approval next week, won preliminary approval on a 24-0 vote, with one abstention.
“With this crisis that we’re in, people are losing their jobs, they are in jeopardy of losing their homes or … of losing their health,†said Alderman Marlene Davis, D-19th Ward, during the meeting by videoconference. “November is really too soon.â€
She said it would be better to wait until the March or April elections next year because conditions may improve by then.
However, Davis, a former ºüÀêÊÓƵ School Board member, said she would vote for the bill because the programs, aimed at kids 5 years old and younger, are critically important to the city.
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She was echoed by virtually every alderman who spoke.
“It’s going to be a hard sell in some parts of the city,†said Bret Narayan, D-24th Ward, who added that it’s an important measure.
He said he hoped that supporters planned a “robust†campaign to explain to voters the need for the programs.
The tax increase of 6 cents per $100 assessed valuation, sought by the city , would raise about $2.3 million per year and be directed to early childhood centers and programs in the city’s poorest areas.
The owner of a home valued at $150,000 would pay about $17 more per year in taxes.
The sponsor, Shameem Clark Hubbard, D-26th Ward, said the tax hike would increase and strengthen programs in “some of the most underserved and sometimes even forgotten neighborhoods†in ºüÀêÊÓƵ.
She said that she, too, had concerns about the proposed timing of the tax vote but said “for some people, no time is going to be right for taxes.â€
She and others also pointed out that the tax hike, if passed, wouldn’t show up immediately on residents’ property tax bills. That would happen near the end of next year, assessor Michael Dauphin said.
Other supporters said boosting education for preschool kids could lead to lesser levels of crime in years to come.
One alderman, Christine Ingrassia, D-6th Ward, offered a different view on timing. “There’s not a better time than right now†to seek voter approval, she said.
She pointed out that November votes in presidential election years typically draw the highest turnouts. Moreover, she said, report after report on the region has shown the need to expand early childhood education in areas where parents struggle to afford such programs or they’re not even available.
Parking fund transfer
The board on Thursday also advanced a bill to transfer $5 million from the city parking fund to the city’s general fund reserve over the objections of City Treasurer Tishaura Jones. The measure was given preliminary approval, 21-3.
The city Parking Commission last month voted for the shift, aimed at helping the city deal with large revenue shortfalls due to the economic slowdown.
Jones, whose office is in charge of city parking lots, garages and meters, said the shift was premature. She wanted to delay a decision until officials have a better understanding of the financial situation.
But the bill’s sponsor, Jeffrey Boyd, D-22nd Ward, said the parking fund is in better shape than the city as a whole and that some reserves not committed to paying debt should help buttress overall city government.
“It’s the people’s money at the end of the day,†he said.
Boyd, who is on the parking panel with Jones, is a longtime critic of the treasurer and has been in a court battle with her to reduce her authority over the parking fund. Boyd also is running for treasurer against Jones in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary.
One opponent, Sharon Tyus, D-1st Ward, wanted detailed analyses on the effect of the transfer on the parking operations’ financial situation.
Boyd said the board’s financial analyst agreed with him that the $5 million figure was reasonable but that, at Tyus’ request, he would get a formal report. Tyus said she would get one from Jones.
The city’s top fiscal body, the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, on Wednesday voted 2-1 to endorse the transfer. Objecting was Comptroller Darlene Green, who said aldermanic action was first required.
She argued that the estimate board doesn’t have any authority over the parking money until aldermen approve the transfer.
Meanwhile, Alderman Joe Vaccaro, D-23rd Ward, is pushing for the $5 million to be used to restore some of the $7.5 million for ward-level capital improvements deleted from the proposed city budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.
The proposed budget was endorsed earlier this month by the estimate board and is now under scrutiny by the aldermanic Ways and Means Committee.
Residency repeal issue revived
Vaccaro on Thursday reintroduced a measure to put before voters in November the repeal of the residency rule for police, firefighters and other city merit-system employees. The change would be carried out in a city charter amendment.
Aldermen last September rejected a similar bill sponsored by Alderman Carol Howard, D-14th Ward, supported by Mayor Lyda Krewson.
Last Friday, the Legislature adjourned its regular 2020 session without passing an alternative bill removing the residency rule for police also sought by the mayor.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the Board of Estimate and Apportionment voted on Wednesday to endorse the transfer.Â