Missouri Members: This would truly be a disaster for anyone living in St. Louis County. The City of St. Louis has been mis-managed for about 70 years... by Democrats. The City is broke. They want us, in the County, to absorb them and take on their debt.

I will move out of St. Louis County if this happens.

Why does this concern ALL of MISSOURI?
For several reasons, but first because they want a State wide referendum rather than allow the City and the County to decide if this is what we want. They know this proposal has NO CHANCE of passing if decided locally by the people who will be most effected.

Better Together plans a city-county merger

Gloria Lloyd
January 17, 2019



Pictured above: Roughly 20 members of south county Republican groups waved signs in a show of support for 6th District Councilman Ernie Trakas, R-Oakville, at the intersection of South Lindbergh Boulevard and Tesson Ferry Road during the 2018 Primaries. Trakas himself made an appearance at the event with signs against a city-county merger. The councilman is pictured alongside supporter Paul Alvino of Oakville, right. Photo by Gloria Lloyd.


From its start five years ago, the nonprofit organization Better Together said that despite its name, it didn’t necessarily support a city-county merger.

But it did.

And it is now apparently poised to mount a statewide campaign funded by billionaire megadonor Rex Sinquefield that St. Louis County and St. Louis city would be “better together” by dissolving both governments and uniting under a new mega-government or “UniGov,” a seemingly unpopular move locally that could be forced by a statewide vote.

The group’s game plan was leaked to and published by the “St. Louis Business Journal” the week between Christmas and New Year’s. The official plan is set to be released at some point in mid-January – after the Call went to press.

The plan has not been opposed by either County Executive Steve Stenger or St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, who would lose their current jobs if it happened.

Under the proposal, a new government entity with a new charter would rise up to take the place of both the county and city in their current geographic footprints, which would be combined after having operated as separate counties ever since the “Great Divorce” in the 1800s.

The newly combined city-county would be governed by one mayor, one prosecuting attorney, one assessor, 33 council members, one police department and one court system. Although Better Together has in the past targeted the county’s fire departments as inefficient, the plan would keep current school and fire districts.

The county’s 88 municipalities and their elected officials could remain, but the cities would lose most of their powers and funding, including the ability to collect sales taxes or have their own police departments or courts.

The proposal leaked to the “Business Journal” also included a game plan for how the new government could become a reality: Rather than a local vote — where it is widely viewed as more likely to fail — it would go to a statewide vote.

To get it on the ballot for November 2020, Better Together would pour millions of dollars into a large initiative petition campaign for signatures, then more millions into a larger “yes” campaign to urge Missouri voters to approve it, according to the leaked plan. Stenger called this an “aggressive interaction with the public.”

If voters of the state approve a new St. Louis, the report said, “within five or six weeks all current government offices in the city and county would be suspended and a transitional government would take over for about 15 months, pending elections.”

That possibility doesn’t appeal at all to 6th District County Councilman Ernie Trakas, R-Oakville, who once stood at the intersection of Lindbergh Boulevard and Tesson Ferry waving signs against a possible city-county merger.

“It’s game on,” Trakas said. “This is no longer a theory or a possibility. They are in it to win it… At the end of the day this is a liberty issue, folks, it’s a democracy issue. What Rex Sinquefield wants to do is disenfranchise you. He wants to make your vote not count for anything. Who should decide whether you become part of the city besides you and the city?”

New Rep. Jim Murphy, R-Oakville, called the entire concept “disturbing” and said he would do everything he could in Jefferson City to oppose a statewide vote.

“Bigger doesn’t always mean better,” Murphy said. “I’m a small-government conservative that believes the smaller the government, the closer to the people, the better.”

Better Together formed in 2013 to study various aspects of the city and county, supported at the time by then-County Executive Charlie Dooley and stating that it was an independent organization without a predetermined idea for or against a merger. Over several years, the organization published studies of police, fire and other services in the county and city, with a critical eye toward the status quo.

In summer 2017, with Stenger and Krewson in attendance, the group launched a five-member task force to come up with ways to combat the increased local government spending that Better Together had found in a just-issued report.

At the time, the task force was not billed as a way to come up with an entirely new St. Louis regional government. Better Together Executive Director Nancy Rice said in a statement that the task force would examine “governmental reforms that can improve the cost and effectiveness of St. Louis’ municipal services,” although it would also issue a report on “ideal government structures for St. Louis.”

Members of the five-member task force include Oakville resident and Bryan Cave attorney Arindam Kar; Suzanne Sitherwood, president and CEO of gas company Spire, formerly Laclede Gas; and Will Ross, Washington University associate dean and professor of medicine.

Although Stenger has in the past taken stances against a city-county merger, he came out in support of the leaked plan in a radio interview Jan. 2, saying he was “excited” about the possibility.

Through a spokesman, Stenger declined comment to the Call until the official Better Together proposal is released, but he outlined his thoughts on it in an interview with KMOX.

Asked if he supported the plan, Stenger said, “From what I’ve seen thus far, I’m encouraged by what I’m seeing. We’re talking about becoming the ninth-largest city in the country essentially overnight if this vote were to pass. We’re talking about savings in the neighborhood of $700 million to a billion of savings by eliminating duplicative services in government throughout the region. So with respect to those things, I’m definitely encouraged.”

As for whether a statewide vote is unfair, Stenger said he didn’t think so because with existing fragmented structures, there’s no central location or “table” for regionwide improvements to be made.

“Someone in Joplin isn’t going to be determining our fate on anything,” Stenger said. “What they’re going to do is empower us through a vote on this amendment to alter our own fate and to really, I think, bring this region to its destiny.”

Addressing whether the plan meant he would lose his job, Stenger said, “It could. And likely what will happen is there will be a mayor for the new entity, the new governmental entity, the new metropolitan city.”

With 950,000 county residents and 350,000 city residents, the combined 1.3 million population of the new “metropolitan city” would place it directly behind Dallas in the nationwide rankings of biggest cities. St. Louis city fell out of the top 20 ranking last year to 21, behind Baltimore.

https://callnewspapers.com/bet...-city-county-merger/

Yep, lots of organizations against it but of course Better Together has a 25 million dollar war chest. There will be a ton of lawsuits if they try to take it to a statewide vote. I am already planning on moving out of St. Louis County this year.

My former county/city did it. It enabled them to violate several state constitutional issues. The state SC ruled that a merged government was "neither fish nor fowl"and law applicable to city or county governments did not apply.

You've got my "No" vote if it actually comes to that.

You all can come live near me in Jeffco....

Do NOT allow this to happen in any manner. My County (Jefferson) was merged into the old City (Louisville) and it is now one big clusterfuck that the Dems have control over.

Those in the rural areas of the Metro are still getting the short end of everything, while paying for all of the freebies, gimmies, and handouts to the urban area.

Our Metro Mayor (Mayor McBikeLane) loves his Dem constituents and ignores the Repub areas in the Metro.

The local news folks were all for it (Dems naturally) and LIED about how wonderful it was all going to be for everyone; and every time there’s a problem that needs fixing (read TAXES), guess who gets stuck with the bill.

Louisville/Jefferson County and Lexington/Fayette County are the only two merged Metro governments in the Commonwealth, and they are both controlled by Socialistic DemonRats to the detriment of the public. The Dems on the metro councils keep trying to circumvent 2A rights under the guise of “home rule initiatives” but are prevented by the State-preemption clause within the State statutes.

NEVER NEVER EVER “vote” FOR a merged govt system.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 2BobTanner,

quote:

My County (Jefferson) was merged into the old City (Louisville) and it is now one big clusterfuck that the Dems have control over.

I am very familiar with Louisville. My wife's family is originally from Louisville. I spent some time there with her family this summer.

You are absolutely correct. That is exactly what they are trying to do here.
If they succeed, there is no chance that importing 350,000 City Democrats into St. Louis County will have a positive effect.
We will never elect another Republican County wide.

Moreover, the rest of the State should be worried. It would create a large, powerful Democrat machine... think Chicago.
It would have great control over the rest of the State and would destroy Missouri much as Chicago has destroyed Illinois.

Grumble....

The dems tried something similar when I lived there late '80s - early '90s. They wanted to lump different suburbs together, claiming this would make police departments, fire departments, etc, much more efficient. Proponents were forced to admit that these "efficiencies" would actually mean higher taxes for people who actually pay taxes. The main goal was to concentrate power in the city of St. Louis.

They quit holding public meetings due to the masses of people showing up and speaking against the mergers. IIRC, the thing died without ever getting to a vote. Looks like they have now figured out a new tactic to circumvent the citizens who live there making the decision.

quote:

Originally posted by 1gkek:
You've got my "No" vote if it actually comes to that.

Mine as well.

This is completely a city/county decision. No statewide vote needed.
I agree the city has problems but this isn't the answer - unless they're going to pull in St Charles too. (Evil laugh)

quote:

Originally posted by ScooterX:
This is completely a city/county decision. No statewide vote needed.
I agree the city has problems but this isn't the answer - unless they're going to pull in St Charles too. (Evil laugh)

[/Quote The proposal leaked to the “Business Journal” also included a game plan for how the new government could become a reality: Rather than a local vote — where it is widely viewed as more likely to fail — it would go to a statewide vote.]/Quote

Again, no need for a state vote. Just a no from the city and county and move along. Nothing to see here.

I'm in the process of escaping from the city to the county. First, Wesley Bell gets elected. Now this.

For the purposes of this post, and this post only.... I consider myself both a taxpayer and voter in St. Louis County.

That said.... I will fight this foolish idea with every ounce of my being. At the best this is an attempt of wealth redistribution from county to city... and city NEEDS it....

At worst, this is going to somehow enrich Rex Sinqfield... who is the local ST Louis version of a James Bond Villain.... No offense to him personally, but after all the idiotic causes he has supported, he can't possibly be anything other than a James Bond-esque villain, without the pretty girls and with less wit.

quote:

Originally posted by Erick85:
You all can come live near me in Jeffco....

I can't get much closer... Literally if you look on a map i can't possibly get more than .25 miles closer....

quote:

Originally posted by ScooterX:
This is completely a city/county decision. No statewide vote needed.
I agree the city has problems but this isn't the answer - unless they're going to pull in St Charles too. (Evil laugh)

Oh they are gonna. Have you followed the nonsense in St. Chuck? It is all migrating YOUR way. First Florissant, then Hazelwood, then St. Chuck.

The tide keeps on a rolling friend, It is when you keep your team in check and separate the wheat front eh chaff...

quote:

Originally posted by Erick85:
You all can come live near me in Jeffco....

If somehow I survive 18 more years, I'll take you up.

I'll take it year by year until then.

Hmm, outside of the other issues all of you have identified, I wonder where the majority of the murders have taken place? city or County?

If it ever makes it on a state ballot, I will be a big NO vote. Count on it.