St. Louis Board of Aldermen

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, 2nd Ward Alderman Tom Oldenburg discusses chairing a committee on red tape, finding common ground with the growing progressive bloc at City Hall and plans for his political future.

The 16 aldermen who said farewell on Monday marked a collective 90 years of experience at the board, although half had served less than five years.

St. Louis voters also narrowly approved a regular review of the charter, the city’s governing document, and authorized a 3% sales tax on recreational marijuana.

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, outgoing 14th Ward Alderwoman Carol Howard discusses raising aldermanic pay, what it might take to lift a residency requirement for city employees and how the digital age changed everything about being an alderperson.

Annie Rice, the outgoing alderwoman of the 8th Ward, talks about setting up a charter commission, her political legacy and what it was like to serve on the board.

The proposal asks St. Louis voters if they want to create a nine-member panel that would regularly review the city’s charter. If it's approved, members would be appointed in April and begin their work in August. Any amendment would then go to voters.

Although the primaries mattered in nine of the 15 races contested Tuesday night, turnout was less than 13%.

Bills passed included an experimental guaranteed basic income program, changes to development incentives and spending millions in federal COVID relief money.

The measure directs $5 million from the remaining pot of federal COVID relief money toward contracts with individual attorneys and legal aid agencies. Tenants facing eviction or utility shut-offs would be entitled to an attorney.

Aldermen will go on break on Friday for the campaign season. The 2022-23 legislative session ends April 17.