St. Louis ran a $75 million budget surplus last year. The issues needing attention are so obvious that a failure to spend a surplus is a sign of something amiss.
The Board of Aldermen can surely pass legislation to authorize use of contractors or funding to hire sufficient workers and equipment to pave streets at a rapid pace. Using ward capital to pave streets is a clear policy failure. Streets聽 are crumbling around us.
Regarding using the budget for social justice and equity: Few things punish those of limited means like streets literally tearing their cars apart. A population with difficulty paying sales tax, auto insurance, and maintenance to pass emissions will struggle with maintenance from the conditions the roads have deteriorated into.
Beyond 鈥渕aintenance taxes鈥 the roads inflict, conditions are embarrassing and injurious. I am proud to show off our beautiful historic architecture, wonderful parks, amazing restaurants, and warm, welcoming denizens. Yet, I can see visitors cringe as we slam from pothole to pothole and rattle across a street consisting of a quilt of previous patches.
People are also reading…
My mother asks me to avoid streets that are too painful for her aging spine. There is no excuse for a major American city to fail to provide the most basic city services while running a budget surplus.
Tristan Mackenzie
St. Louis