urbanSTL

I'm pretty sure I've never heard of Lakeshire. Unbelievable.

some residents from the north area would like to switch from the Affton to the Lindbergh school district.

No sh--.

I would hope they call it South Champ

Champ is a village in north county with 12 people. and i think its a great name for any future city.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champ,_Missouri

A sure sign there's too many.

Stl Public Radio - Born To Run? In St. Louis County's Municipalities, Competition For Office Can Be Sparse

In the most recent April election, more than 65 percent of the races for local offices in St. Louis County were uncontested. That includes the race which Ferguson Mayor James Knowles III won without opposition. That percentage goes up to about 68 percent if contests with a qualified write-in candidate aren’t included in the final tally.

http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/bor ... -be-sparse

We need either a St. Louis County with 1.3 million people (including the city) and about 10 suburban cities of about 100k or 1 St. Louis City of about 1.3 million with about 26 community neighborhoods of about 50k.

It is my honest feeling that if this region doesn't make some serious governmental and therefore economic development changes in the next decade, we will begin to see major regional decline like Cleveland, Detroit, Buffalo etc. and we will wish we were a slow growth region again.

I also think a united St. Louis would get way more done in the legislature, because then you legislators wouldn't be fighting for Ladue, Webster Groves, Ferguson, South City, North City etc. they would all have the best interest of greater St. Louis in mind. It would also likely make races more competitive and bring in a higher quality of candidates. Its a shame that there are political offices that go uncontested in a region of 2.8 million, it breeds corruption and complacency.

This is from 2006. This should be the poster child for why we need a muni accountability system. Pine Lawn should have disincorporated a long time ago. "With all the things that they're doing, there's not going to be a Pine Lawn in five years" No such luck.

RFT - The Little City That Couldn't

Noting that Pine Lawn officials had failed to implement 25 of the 35 recommendations auditors had made in 1994, McCaskill admonished officials for not approving city budgets in a timely manner, for blowing $23,000 on a failed construction project and for violating the state's so-called Sunshine Law by going into private session during meetings that should have been open to the public.

http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2006-07- ... -couldn-t/

Model governance right there folks.

^ I'm amused by who is posting a comment in the story you linked. I'm still trying to figure out what Ed truly wants.

In all seriousness, these are voter approved taxes so I imagine whoever wants them gone has to go down the hard road of getting something back on the ballot. Sadly, also I find it a typical political stunt to garner support. Blame something that they know can't be changed easily but most voters won't know the difference so it sells good on the ad. What is even sadder, I think their is absolutely no political support or discussion of what to do with the 90 some local fiefdoms in the county.

I hope Stream wins.

jcity wrote:I hope Stream wins.

Why? Stream has already vehemently said that he would totally oppose any sort of arrangement with St. Louis City reentering St. Louis County or even discussing any kind of "merger". And even if he passes for a "moderate" Republican these days, he is far, far to the right of St. Louis County as a whole.

Stltoday - St. Louis-area cities and towns face new scrutiny on traffic fine limiting law

“They're going to have to cut back services or raise more tax revenue,” he said, which could bring down already depressed housing prices.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crim ... 6ad94.html