Lewis Reed

The city's top fiscal body failed Friday to approve a proposed $168 million spending plan ahead of a summer recess at the Board of Aldermen.

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen chose not to act on the fiscal 2022 budget after discovering a $5.7 million hole. It marks the second year in a row that aldermen did not pass a spending plan and allowed one approved by a separate board to take effect.

The $4 million in savings would be directed toward victims services, affordable housing, homeless services and a legal department to prosecute civil rights violations.

So how did Tishaura Jones and Cara Spencer move onto the April runoff election? For Jones, it was a strong performance in north St. Louis and parts of south St. Louis. And approval voting may have been key in getting Spencer to the second round.

St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones and Alderwoman Cara Spencer, D-20th Ward, were the top two vote-getters in Tuesday’s mayoral primary race.

Candidates for mayor, comptroller and Board of Aldermen now run without party labels. Voters can choose as many candidates as they want in Tuesday's primary, with the top two vote-getters for each office advancing to April's general election.

All four candidates — utility executive Andrew Jones, Treasurer Tishaura Jones, 20th Ward Alderwoman Cara Spencer and Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed — agree that crime is the city's No. 1 issue.

One of the notable parts of the debate was frank answers about whom the candidates would support if they don't advance to the April 6 election.

Lewis Reed, Cara Spencer, Tishaura Jones and Andrew Jones are all vying to be St. Louis' next mayor. The primary election is March 2.

Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed joins Rachel Lippmann to talk about his third run for mayor of St. Louis.