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Happy Halloween and happy (?) midterms! I always think of myself as an Election Day-enjoyer, but when the day finally comes, I'm nearly always miserable. It's not the results so much (although the results usually make a good Dem like me pretty miserable too), but the waiting around for results with nothing constructive to pour my anxieties into. This year, though, my game plan is to try and funnel those anxieties into strategizing how we can get single-stair reform passed in Missouri this year. My focus on that effort means I will be rooting for exactly one (1) Republican on Tuesday night: Mike Jones, running in Missouri's 34th senate district (roughly the northern exurbs of KC to St. Joseph). Jones introduced a version of single-stair reform into the state house last year and got it through the chamber before it ultimately died in the senate. If Jones can make the switch to the upper chamber (and I assume, based on the geography of the district, that he's an overwhelming favorite to do so), I think we might have a shot at this thing. Missouri Republicans have been laggards on housing issues compared to their counterparts in states like Tennessee, Texas, and Montana, but Jones is the exception.
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Oh boy, I thought I'd heard it all, but apparently Al Rheinnecker is suing the City of Kirkwood for last year's electric rate increases, claiming they are a violation of the state's Hancock Amendment, which limits tax increases. The only problem? Rheinnecker voted for the increases himself! Not only does Mike Fitzgerald, the "journalist" behind the article not mention it, he doesn't even mention that Al was ever on the Council! And of course we have Michael Carmody regurgitating it all and adding no additional context on his "safer streets" facebook page. It's a real who's who of Kirkwood assholes and they all should be embarrassed.
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I published a new story on Tuesday that applies some of the professional work I do on public financing of affordable housing to a Kirkwood context. Is this the most important idea for affordability in Kirkwood? No, definitely not. Would it help? Absolutely. When people say they want new housing to be "affordable" I usually remind them that the only way for brand spanking new housing to be affordable is if the government is subsidizing it. Usually that means the federal government, but here's one potential route for pulling it off using only local resources:
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Double Eagle Be Damned: What If We Used Tax Breaks for Teacher Housing Instead?
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Tonight at 7:00 pm, Kirkwood's Community Land Trust is holding a meeting at Kirkwood United Methodist Church featuring Farrell Carfield, executive director of the Webster Groves Community Land Trust. If you care about Kirkwood remaining a place for middle-class families and ensuring that the people who keep it running can afford to live here, I'd encourage you to attend. In …
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Here's a fascinating story from the Post-Dispatch on Kirkwood's continued efforts to claw back the $4.6 million they claim Ameren owes them as a result of the company's decision to shut down a power plant 15 years early rather than comply with the Clean Air Act. I'm not holding my breath that Kirkwood will somehow prevail in our appeals, but MAN would it be amazing if we somehow did!
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Halloween Walk is tonight, Oct 29, 5–7 p.m. so either enjoy or stay well clear of Downtown Kirkwood. Have a great weekend, and I'll see you on the other side!
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