Rams Fans United - Los Angeles Rams Fan Discussion Forum

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt ... 00186.html

Alderman Antonio French threatens filibuster of NFL stadium financing

By Nicholas J.C. Pistor

ST. LOUIS • Alderman Antonio French vowed on Friday to filibuster any city financing package for an NFL stadium unless the city develops a comprehensive plan to deal with crime.

French said he and other aldermen would hold up city taxpayer funds for the proposed $1 billion stadium.

“There seems to be a complete lack of urgency,” French said of St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay’s efforts in dealing with crime.

After the meeting, French said Slay’s administration has focused too much on the city’s central corridor and not enough on other parts of the city that are struggling with crime.

He later Tweeted: “Until @MayorSlay sits down with us to develop a satisfactory #comprehensiveplan to reduce violence, we’ll block any funds for a new stadium.”

Aldermen are expected to introduce legislation in coming days to cover a portion of new stadium construction.

Mary Ellen Ponder, Slay’s chief of staff, said in a statement that Slay and the “city has had a comprehensive approach to crime fighting for 14 years.”

Ponder directed people to the city’s public safety website.

“There are too many shootings, too many deaths,” Ponder said. “Politicizing crime won’t make anyone any safer. The best way to fight crime is for everyone to be united against criminals.”

The statement stopped short of saying whether Slay would meet with French. Maggie Crane, a spokeswoman for Slay, said Slay would meet with him, but questioned whether French would actually sit down with the mayor.

This doesn't sound like it will amount to much as far as blocking stadium funding goes...

Who knows? The smallest spark can cause the largest fire, right? There's probably some history of Slay v. French:

Plan to fund more St. Louis police 'unlikely' according to Alderman
http://www.kmov.com/story/30136486/plan ... o-alderman
(KMOV.com) -- A plan to fund an additional 160 officers is unlikely to happen, according to 16th district alderman Antonio French.

Mayor Slay told News 4 he petitioned the board to pay for more officers last year, pointing to the lack of developments on the issue since the Board returned from its summer break.

French said without funding, he lacks confidence the plan will go anywhere.

“I don't think so. Not unless the mayor comes up with a way to pay for it,” French said.

St. Louis city officials are in the process of refunding at least $5.9 million in red light camera tickets, a major source of funding as laid out in the plan.

Without that money, French believes it would be harder to provide the police budget increase of $8.7 million in the first year, and $9 million in the second year.

French says if the mayor wants more officers, he’ll find the money.

“[Residents] see this level of urgency when it comes to funding for a new stadium for the Rams. They see that money is found in cases like that,” French said, “But when it comes to making our community safer, targeting in those communities that seem to need it the most, we can never seem to find the money."

Elvis wrote:This doesn't sound like it will amount to much as far as blocking stadium funding goes...

It may not in the long run but what it does do is delay the vote.

No vote, no funding, no stadium, no Rams. Works for me.

Just read his twitter. He is awesome as a person and wow at his strong beliefs on what is wrong in St.Louis. Looks like a great upstanding guy.

yeah, he is on it. I can't even fathom discussing a Rams stadium in the context of what he is trying to do for his city.

All things considered with the events in Oregon, this guy is trying to do something good and asking for help.

I like this guy from reading on him. Has a good vision and the drive to implement it. Wish he was a politician in my town.