Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Update: Firefighters Residency Bill
On Feb. 27th the Local Government Committee voted down the bill that would have allowed City Firefighters to move out of the City by a vote of 8-3. On an interesting note 5 Republicans joined three of the Democrats on the Committee in voting "no". The bill is currently dead but could and probably will be resurrected in the form of an amendment on the House Floor. Many of the Committee members had nothing to gain and lots to lose by there "no" vote. They should be commended for recognizing the importance of the City's charter and doing the right thing.
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28 comments:
Oh, I'd like to personally thank you for doing your part to deny my family the opportunity to choose were we live. Strange that you feel you should have that power over peoples lives, though. Before you start with the same old cliche "you new when you took the job" bit, when I took the job (1)I didn't have kids, (2) I could buy a home in your lovely district for a reasonable portion of my income (3) & YOUR public schools were accredited. So you see a few things have changed, well that is except for the arcaic residency requirement that you so ingnorantly defended. I hope you are rewarded for your efforts, I guess we'll see come re-election time.
Unless he tries to be a senator like a lot of them do.Alot of them jump over to the other house after their timed out.If that is the case here we can still help defeat him either way if this doesn't fly this session we should try to defeat him at any political thing he may try in the future. Any future support by firemen may have just VANISHED!
I would like to say I am extremely disappointed by your actions concerning the residency issue.This argument about the 1914 charter is bogus If those same citizens who enjoy telling firemen where to live and what school district they have to attend If their employers at Pepsi, Busch ,or any other private company tried to tell them where they have to live they would be outraged.They live where they want to live by choice firemen should have the same option.It seem to me that the same people who are against firemen living outside the city are against vouchers for poor school districts.You should not have the power to denie a child a good education.
Good Job Mike!!! Who do those damn firemen think they are! Wanting to live in a decent school district, oh the nerve! Houses to high? Let 'em rent an apartment on the northside. It's cheap and livable, right? If they don't like it they can just quit, right? Surely they don't have that much invested in their careers, let 'em start over. We pay their salaries and we tell them were to raise their children! If you bent on this, next they'd be asking for a competant Fire Chief. Go let 'em change that 'ole city charter, yeah, that's the best way. All they need is 60% of the "good" people, who think like you and me to support them. Hah! Again, good job buddy, rest assured those unappreciative subservants will be living close to you for a long time.
I wonder if the good Representative Daus has kids. If so I bet he's not planning on sending them to a city school. He'll probably figure out a way to send his kids to the clayton schools.
The City Charter is granted it's powers by the State, correct? The City Charter has been around for almost 100 years. There have been many changes, as noted in the previous posts.
Eliminating the Residency for Police Officers netted a minimal effect. Very few Officers actually moved out.
If all City Employees moved out, someone else will move in. The City Employees will still pay the Earnings Tax as would the new occupant. That is a net gain for the General revenue, do the math!
I will vote against you in the next election, vote against the local contributing to you, and will encourage all my family and friends not to support you.
No need to stoop to that level previous poster. Discuss the facts without the inflamatory comments.
Rep Daus denies our right to live where the schools will give our children a fighting chance, we in the st louis fire dept are the 3rd lowest paid firefighters in the state of Missouri, have very poor benefits and insurance, with the most expensive area to live in, in a tiny geographical boundry, and limited resourse, the state keeps continually postponing it's action to correct the city schools, with extension after extension and no hope in sight, corruption is abound in the school contracts and board members fight continuiously.
I ask you Rep Daus, sir,
if you fight us on this i can accept your reasoning as representing the voters in the city, but PLEASE give us some kind of other option to the education, somthing immediate, somthing solid, a solution, a voucher ANYTHING to show you care, any other citizen can leave to go elsewhere to fix the problem, we cannot without losing a career.
otherwise this is classism keeping the city worker down generation after generation, spending all the kids college money on a decent grade school so they can at least graduate from high school and get a job at McDonalds or maybe if their lucky get a job with the city of st. louis, that doesnt pay that much more, . . . . . .
it's ashame where the state legislature spends all its time & efforts on pointless issues like "english as a second language"
(we already know english is our official language) why waste time on an issue that has nothing tangible to do with actual immigration/enforcement, while our first responders who were promised support after 9/11 are now forgotten, yet again, and their children now pay the price/suffer in substandard conditions with the city public schools, with no "real" relief in sight, our own public servants, who risk and give thier lives were sold out by a politian, and sold up the river to generations of servitude or unemployment,
i have worked for the city of St Louis for 15 years and am halfway through with my career, the schools we're accredited then, and even I could not have imagined that things were going to get as bad as they have gotten, st louis has becoume a city mostly intrested in "gimmicky" related city development,(stadium, ballpark village, downtown lofts, CWE, washington avenue clubs, loft living,) catering to yuppies, and entertainment related living NOT conservative neighborhood family agenda values. this residency issue has everything to do with education, and with an elected school board who don't even have the qualifications to run an education system we just don't believe the problem can be fixed.(probably explaining why the state is afraid to take action-why else make up a "provisional
accreditation", just to appease the city?
thus explaing why nobody wants to raise a family here in the city anymore.
st louis had a chance but they just keep blowing it.
I have now just become a republican,
this now appears that politicians are selling out firemen and their families.
it should be similarly compared to the recent developments in DC on how the bureauocrats have harmed our wounded iraq war veterans at walter reed hospital trying to get post war injury quality care/rehab.
the killing of HB325 is a direct slash of the throats of those firemen/cops AND THEIR FAMILIES trying to guard and protect US and OUR families.
St. Louis does not make any sense nor do it's leaders.
In regards to firefighter residency and the St. Louis Public School system. I've been looking at MODESE annual report of school data and noticed a few things that most people would find disturbing. Certification status of teachers in 2006. Teachers with Regular Certificates in St. Louis schools is 82.4%, in Missouri it's 96.5%. Heres a big one, Teachers with Substitute, EXPIRED or NO CERTIFICATE in St. Louis 9.3%, in Missouri 1.1%. Discipline Incidents per 100 students in St. Louis 5.6, in Missouri 2.1. ACT scores for City of St. Louis 16.3, in Missouri 21.6. Interesting enough is that in 2002 they were 17.7, but have been falling every year. Graduation rate in St. Louis 57.4%, in Missouri 85.7%. In St. Louis 18.7% of students drop out, in Missouri it's 4%. St. Louis also spends more money per pupil. They have only had provisional accreditation for the time frame I can find which is 2002-2006, but I know it's been longer. So I'm forced to send my children one in high school and the other in grade school to private schools, costing around $10,000 a year. Unfortunately, I also have a special needs child who has to attend a public school in St. Louis. Her best bet according to doctors is the Special School District, as it stands right now thats impossible. When I started working for the city years ago the system wasn't totaled. My child in the public system may still have time, if given the freedom, which this country was founded, for my wife and I to help set a foundation for her to live an independent life. Not to live off the government. I pray you would do whats right not political. Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
Do you realize that the over 5k a year I'm paying for my children to attend a city catholic school is about 1/4 of my take home salary? The public schools are an unusable failure that recieve over half of my enormous property tax bill each year. I'm sure Slay will get right on the suggestion to start a charter school, was that supposed to be a joke? The average home price in the City of St. louis is around 140k, please tell me how your average fireman, trashman, tree trimmer, etc. is supposed to make these numbers work? Well those with families can't, and sometimes I think that politicians, like yourself, could care less. But don't worry, I will continue to risk my life daily to protect you, your family, and property. That is after I get off work from my second or third job. Take pride that your efforts have genuinely harmed the firefighters of this city.
The quickest way to change public policy is to change public opinion. Right now the vast majority of my constituents, myself included, are in favor of the residency requirement for City employees.
With that said, I do understand the concerns regarding St. Louis City public schools. I have a two year old with another child on the way this August. Education is not an immediate concern for another 2 years but it’s something that I think about daily, as does my wife. I’m not sure what we will do but I’m confident we’ll make the best decision we can given the circumstances we are in at the time.
We’ll probably get farther debating some of the educational options you’d like to see for the children of City Employees. Tax credits for private tuition and charter schools are two of the options I’ve been supportive of in the past and will continue to support in the future. I also support the state law that allows students to attend a different school district if and when their home school district becomes unaccredited.
Regarding Slay and the charter school question: Currently the mayor does not have the authority to start a charter school. There is legislation pending this year sponsored by Senator Smith and Rep. Muschany to grant him the ability to do this.
To Honorable Daus,
you're kidding, right?
my childs future in STLcity is solely based on you're view on the city voter public opinion?
How evil,
again I ask you, can you give an immediate tangible relief/ solution, to my crisis?
if tax credits were warranted, why have i waited a decade to even hear talk of such a break?
let us live where we want to live, we gave the city a chance, and they keep on failing, don't you keep on failing us too, like you & other politicians did our injured war troops @ walter reed hospital.
to STL, politicians, firemen and police have given thier lives,over & over again, yet you give no sympathy, no empathy, only self preservation intrests,
why won't you at least give a chance to the family members?
allow them to rent an apartment, in the city, and own & send their children to another district,
why do you have to hate us so?
we protect you, we help you, we would give our lives to save your children, your wife, or your you, and we are now convinced you do NOT appreciate this sacrifice we make for you.
Mr Daus Did you not hear what the man said in the post before your response? He said he spends one fourth of his net pay on education for his children. Your response was "I have a two year old with another child on the way this August. Education is not an immediate concern for another 2 years but it’s something that I think about daily, as does my wife." That is disturbing to many of us because it is effecting us and our kids now. Why do you block something that is in the best interest of the kids? Families have been torn apart over this issue because spouses do not feel they or the kids should be held to something they did not agree to. When I came on this job I had no children and wasn't married and the school district was accredited. I don't think it is fair that you would have someone give up their career after investing so many years of service to the community. We have asked the city to clarify the residency issue to specify who it should effect and we recieve no response . If you are so concerned with residency for employees.Why are the St Louis School Dist employees not bound by residency?
You say the quickest way to change public policy is to change public opinion.In reality that would be the most difficult route and you yourself admit you are against it.
When you look at this issue from a public safety standpoint .It is not in the best interest of the citizens to confine public safety employees to a small geograhic area. New Orleans had a residency requirement prior to the devastating hurricane .Firefighters were forced to make the choice of saving their families or serving the public.In that scenario it doesn't pay to have all your ducks in one basket. St Louis sits on the New Madrid fault and a major earthquake is predicted for the future .There are any number of other catastrophys that could strike St Louis City. If the public safety employees are wiped out themselves they won't be available to save lives and property after the fact.This is not a hypothetical situation It has already happened in New orleans.
In closeing I would like to say just because something is policy and legal does not mean it is good or just. At one time slaves were sold on the courthouse steps.Those servants were also told where they had to live. I am sure you and I would both agree that policy was wrong and needed to be changed. Firefighters are employees not slaves and we should not be told where we have to live and what school our children have to attend.
Myself and many other firefighters feel residency should be eliminated and it is in the best interest of firefighters and the citizens we serve to do so.
Respectfully Submitted
Sir,
after listening to KMOX this morning and discovering that your suggestion/ the bill for giving a "tax credit" to people in the SLPS district has failed, and that a "tax voucher" is even less possible now, that nearly all possible remedial action is out the window, is there any chance you will NOW reconsider you current stance on lifting residency?
There seems to be some misunderstanding about HB808. HB808 was a tax credit for a donation to an education fund. It was not a tax credit in which the parents of a child who opted to send their child to a private school would receive a tax credit.
In order to qualify for the program your family would have to have an income that would be less than 135% of the federal poverty level. Your child would currently have to be enrolled in the St. Louis City public school and have a grade point average of less than 2.5.
The relief that will help all city residents with education concerns is of coarse improving the St, Louis Public School System combined with tax relief for those who sacrifice financially to send their children to a private school, charter schools and open enrollment.
After attending one of last nights St Louis School district meetings I was horrified at the fact that the school board has now decided due to a 20-24 million dollar budget shortfall that it intends to close several schools within a year and consolidate nearly 35 schools putting all the middle school children (grades 6-8) in the same school with high school age children, (9-12)
this issue and the fact that no one wants to address the crisis is consuming me and making me physically ill, I do not know where to turn and unlike someone else who is an unhappy citizen, who has the option to move I cannot, i am afraid to quit my job in this bad job market, and lose my pension, because social security will be gone by the time I retire, . . . . is there any possibility of other options for education for city employees to be explored without quitting my job? like perhaps a special district only for city employees?
our local leaders and media do not seem to concerened as much as they are concerened about covering the story about getting a local coach that was fired re-hired.
and it seems that the state republicians in control appear not so education voucher friendly anymore, another idea would be to allow "a joint residency bill" (or clause) enabling city employees to rent or buy elsewhere as long as they maintain an address in the city, pay taxes etc. thus making them eligible to send thier kids outside of the city address, without the incurred cost?
the city gets it's money, the voters are happy, the employees trapped in this quagmire are happy, everybody agrees on a compromise.
To address one of the options you have brought up please cut and paste the following link. There is also a companion bill filed in the house. Although I can't speak for the mayor my guess would be that your concern is why he may want this bill.
http://www.senate.mo.gov/07info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=27849
sfzwumay i ask as to why the SLPS employees are not bound under the residency requirement by the city voters like all the other civil service employees, arent they specifically part of the ongoing problem/solution? wouldn't it be considered a form of quality control if board members and teachers were required to send their kids there?
the dual residency suggestion for firemen seems like a fair compromise!!
they pay city rent and city taxes and take the burden of educating their children elsewhere, leaving STL out of the mix,
home schooling might work also!
Another bill that may be of interest to you:
http://www.house.mo.gov/bills071/bills/hb690.htm
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