While I'll hold who I voted for in the primary and general elections close to my chest, I will say that I'm really happy to have Lyda Krewson as our next Mayor.
The first woman Mayor of St. Louis! That's history right there!
Whew, it's time for some fresh faces, no?
Now, I realize a Mayor doesn't really do a whole lot in St. Louis' weak-mayoral system, the Aldermen/women have that larger responsibility; heck sometimes I feel like the Comptroller and the director of the STL Development Corporation play more of a crucial role in our immediate future.
That said, I am really happy to see what she can do, and a Mayor really does set the tone for a city government and is the face to the region and beyond.
And they can be stewards of major policy changes. For instance, I think Slay's most prominent legacy will be charter schools.
Anyhow, I wish Mayor Krewson the best of luck and I'm feeling pretty optimistic so far and confident that she'll be successful and run a clean administration at minimum, or take it to new heights at best.
So what are your hopes for this new administration?
What is realistic to expect/dream?
I have heard/read people I respect say we need more transparency from the Mayor's office trickling down to the Aldermanic level. I've also heard/read that there is an expectation that we modernize communications using email with lead time vs. posting things last minute to a bulletin board at city hall. Or even worse, being handed a paper right before a session...lame political tactics.
These should almost be demands vs. wishes/desires, right? But...democratic governments are kind of designed to move slow and man, does St. Louis like to move slow.
My hopes/desires for a new administration are quite simple, really.
I hope that in every conversation and every topic and every issue that comes across the Mayor's email/desk, she asks: "how will this effect crime, schools and quality of life for current and future residents?"
If it doesn't fit into that, it's just feel-good fluff.
The meat of gaining residents and small/large businesses to set up shop and root down in St. Louis all boils down to:
- reducing the negative perception and real crime issues
- reducing the real and perceived reputations/issues of our schools (private, charter and SLPS) and
- livability...are we getting quality services for our increasingly high property and sales taxes?
- making the process to set up shop and grow here easier; minimizing bureaucratic hoops that bring no value.
Let's open the door (and wide) to all.
Be approachable and connect with our citizens in a real way. Make an effort to talk to people who have kids in the schools here and get to know the strengths and weaknesses of the status quo. Talk to people who can objectively talk about crime's effect on their lives and properties all over the city...I respectfully know the Mayor gets this one firsthand and emotionally.
I can't wait to see where Mayor Krewson takes the city. It's fun to witness the next chapter of St. Louis history.
