By Antonio D. French
Filed Monday, August 21, 2006 at 3:47 PM
School board member Peter Downs today charged Mayor Francis Slay with playing politics with needed funding for St. Louis Public Schools.
In his St. Louis Schools Watch email newsletter (which PUB DEF hosts a blog for), Downs says the City of St. Louis, which collects taxes on behalf of the school district, is currently holding on to about $4.5 million of SLPS' money.
"Like a modern-day George Wallace standing in the schoolhouse door, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay is still trying to deny educational opportunities to St. Louis children," wrote Downs. "His latest stunt is to withhold tax money from the city's public school system."
Downs also charges that Slay is using building inspectors to harm the school district. "For the three years that Slay controlled the schools through his hand-picked board members, he turned a deaf ear to parent, student, and employee reports of building safety issues," said Downs.
"After losing control of the schools, he bided his time until it would seem he could do
the most damage. A week before school starts, he sends in inspectors to find any possible problem."
A spokesman for the mayor has not yet responded to a request for comment.
MORE: The $4.5 million that Downs is apparently referring to is SLPS' cut of hundreds of property tax bills being challenged by local property owners -- including many local companies.
Readers may remember that we reported back in February that the State Tax Commission sided with Nestle Purina in its case against Tax Assessor Ed Bushmeyer and the City of St. Louis. The decision meant that the company would pay taxes on its property valued at $19 million and not the $47 million that the city had assessed. Since then, more companies have challenged their assessments.
Downs seems to subscribe to a conspiracy theory running around certain government hallways that has the mayor organizing his corporate pals to hold back needed funds from the school district (and the city too, by the way) in order to push the district over the brink of financial ruin so the state can come in to take over.
The Mayor's office still has not responded to our request for comment. But a source in the Comptroller's office has confirmed that the City of St. Louis is current on its obligations to SLPS.
STILL MORE... Jeff Rainford, Mayor Francis Slay's chief of staff, hit back this evening at allegations from a member of the St. Louis City School Board that the mayor was withholding tax money from the district. Here is the text of an email he wrote to PUB DEF responding to Peter Downs' charges.
Peter Downs, William Purdy, Veronica O'Brien, and Donna Jones have been the recent subjects of a great deal of community anger, worry, and scorn because of their unfortunate decision to force Dr. Creg Williams to resign.
To deflect some of this emotion, the quarrelsome quartet have been willing to say almost anything about almost anyone. Normally, I ignore them.
Mr. Down’s most recent whoppers, though, are big enough to demand a response – if not from the District, at least from me.
Using the readership of his muck-raising Internet newsletter, Downs now accuses Mayor Francis Slay of withholding $4.5 million in taxes collected on behalf of the schools. Mr. Downs also accuses the mayor of "unleashing building inspectors" into the schools to prevent them from opening on time.
In fact, the Mayor does not collect taxes. The Revenue Collector, elected by the people and independent of the Mayor, collects taxes. The Mayor has nothing to do with the process of tax collection.
And, as Mr. Downs (and everyone in the building division of St. Louis Public Schools probably knows), the City inspects the buildings EVERY year before the start of school to make sure they are safe.
One likely consequence of Mr. Downs’ outburst of fiction? A school district mired even more deeply in disarray. That's the real shame.
35 Comments:
Antonio, did Peter mention how Mayor Slay was with holding funds?
8/21/2006 4:18 PM
Antonio, did Peter mention that the school buildings are inspected for life/safety every year?
8/21/2006 5:01 PM
The Revenue Collector, Ron Leggett, collects and distributes taxes in the City, not the mayor.
Did you think about asking the superintendent whether Downs' allegations are true?
8/21/2006 5:19 PM
"is apparently referring to" and "seems to subscribe"
Is that like "whoops, never mind"?
8/21/2006 9:22 PM
Didn't the mayor appeal the Nestle verdict? If so, what happened?
8/21/2006 9:52 PM
Rainford you have come a long way since your news station days, but have you learned how to handle your anger and stress yet?
8/21/2006 11:42 PM
Antonio it is clear all the anti French/Downs bloggers are Slay people. He must make calls to cowards to post on the blogg. Slay get your head check and move away dude you are over. O'brien crazy no Slay crazy.
8/22/2006 12:56 AM
It is very sad that our public schools are run by people who need both a remedial civics class and civility training.
As noted, the Collector of Revenue collects taxes. Works that way in only 115 of 115 Missouri's counties.
The George Wallace reference by Downs is outrageous. What's next? Is someone going to accuse the mayor of denying people the right to vote by not handing out free birth certificates (like tax collection, also something the mayor has no control over) to fulfill one of the voter ID requirements?
8/22/2006 8:28 AM
If Slay is "George Wallace," then Downs is Huey P. Long.
8/22/2006 8:40 AM
I have noticed that no one has addressed the claim that the mayor does not have control over the funds. Is it true? Is it true, but irrelevant? Please, someone, enlighten me.
St. Louis's multiple elected officials spreads out the responsibility, but makes it hard to assign blame.
8/22/2006 9:01 AM
I am not a Slay person, but this is much to do about nothing. This is not to say that a fiscal crisis may provide the mayor leverage for a state takeover, but to give him that much power--including convincing corporate heads to withhold taxes--is bunk. The board should stop worrying about conspiracies and get back to work. The district's fiscal crisis is real and not just manufactured by their political enemies.
8/22/2006 9:27 AM
Antonio, I wanted to thank you for answering my question.
8/22/2006 12:52 PM
Shame on you Downs for lying.
8/22/2006 1:36 PM
I must have been sleeping or something.
Did Bill Haas actually commit suicide and get reincarnated on the School Board as Peter Downs?
Next Peter will be calling the mayor a home-eunuch and a thug.
Way to carry on that sterling School Board tradition, Peter!!!
8/22/2006 3:06 PM
Last Anon,
What did Downs lie about? Proof please. I'll believe anything he says until I have proof otherwise. Without him we were uninformed. I'm sure that was the plan, but not anymore.
8/22/2006 3:06 PM
Rip Van,
It seems change is only ok with you when it goes your way.
8/22/2006 3:08 PM
If Peter made an informational mistake (which I'm 99% sure he didn't), he will be the first to retract it and apologize. Those of you calling him a liar will need to show proof to sway me.
8/22/2006 3:09 PM
anonymous said:
"It seems change is only ok with you when it goes your way."
Huh?? What change? All we have here is a bunch of the same old.
Same old name calling.
Same old outrageous disrespect.
Same old childish behavior we would slap our six-year-olds for if they acted that way at home.
After suffering with a gutfull of the boorish antics of Bill Haas, it looks like we're in for four more years of it from Peter Downs. When, I wonder, will things ever CHANGE?
8/22/2006 3:20 PM
anonymous said:
"It seems change is only ok with you when it goes your way."
Huh?? What change? All we have here is a bunch of the same old.
Same old name calling.
Same old outrageous disrespect.
Same old childish behavior we would slap our six-year-olds for if they acted that way at home.
After suffering with a gutfull of the boorish antics of Bill Haas, it looks like we're in for four more years of it from Peter Downs. When, I wonder, will things ever CHANGE?
8/22/2006 3:20 PM
The only thing that really matters are outcomes for the kids. That's what the new Board majority needs to be talking about. They're in the majority now -- they don't need to be attacking the Mayor or anyone else. They need to spend their energy on producing results, as they said they would. If they can't, then they won't be able to sustain their position by making petty and unsubstantiated claims.
8/22/2006 4:39 PM
To 3:09 anonymous, what kind of proof would you accept?
Not to pick on you, but many posters on many forums on many topics say, 'prove it', but deem the evidence later offered as unacceptable/flawed.
The evidence can be flawed, but I think it worth knowing what evidence you would accept.
We live in a polarized society and some people have blind spots for people they like, voted for etc. This can apply to people of all political stripes.
8/23/2006 8:48 AM
I would like proof that the mayor has always been inspected a week before opening and that all money that is due from the city to slps has been allocated. You're right, I do like Peter Downs and it would be hard for me to accept if he has made these things up. But if he did, my respect for him would be hindered. Unless it was an honest mistake.
8/23/2006 12:54 PM
Correction in above post. I would like proof that the mayor has always requested inspections of schools a week before they are scheduled to receive students.
8/23/2006 12:56 PM
i think you should ask whomever is in charge of building maint. at slps whether or not the schools are inspected every year.....don't you think that person would know?
8/23/2006 1:52 PM
Inspecteur Clouseau ici: Rip Van, go back to sleep. Your silly antics and allegations make you appear more like Bill Haas than the person you are accusing.
Un jour, (one day) Inspecteur Clouseau will present quelquechose (something) that proves how many crazies comme vous dites en Amérique (as you say in America) communicate on blogs like this one with such inane, hateful, and nonsensical stuff, just as Rip Van has.
8/23/2006 3:38 PM
Pink,
Why wait? You have already proven that at least one crazy person wastes piles of time on blogs: you and your affected French written accent.
You have a lot of nerve accusing me of being hateful, inane and nonsensical. Have you ever read your own stuff. Do you think ANYONE takes you seriously? Get over yourself.
The children of our City are suffering terribly for lack of a decent education. Do you think Peter Downs could take a more palatable approach to solving their problems than calling the mayor names? Does he really think that will solve the tremendous education problems we have here? Does he really care?
8/23/2006 4:32 PM
Inspecteur Clouseau ici: Rip Van, merci for la comedie. Inspecteur Clouseau always enjoys a good laugh.
Do you get such laughs at the Cedars on Wednesdays when the politicos assemble for lunch and gossip?
I hardly think Slay who is great with barbs and names needs your help, monsieur. In true Slay fashion, he can take care of himself. After all, back in the 30's and 40's the Slays were among the hailed Syrian/Lebanese gangsters. They know how to take care of people who threaten or irk them. Ask those who've been around St. Louiee for a while.
8/23/2006 7:12 PM
I have to wonder how many of you so called informed folks actually attend board meetings regularly. Peter is one of the most informed people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. I for one appreciate his tell it like it is attitude. It's about time someone has the nerve to be brutally honest. As for the comments about Bill Haas. Get over it, he's gone. You may not have liked his way, but the bottom line is both of them are very concerned about the kids and aren't afraid to let people know what is causing the problems that are interferring with their education. Take your attention away from the blogs and the media and actually show up at a board meeting and pay attention to what's really going on.
8/23/2006 11:09 PM
Hey when are you all going to get the dollar amount Ron Jackson has cost the district.
8/24/2006 12:28 AM
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
8/24/2006 1:55 PM
All I said was "SHUT UP VERONICA"...why was that deleted. Does Antonoio run this site, Peter Downs, or Veronica. CALM DOWN PLEASE
8/24/2006 3:50 PM
Actually, I run this site. To everyone: Please refrain for posting personal attacks. Telling someone to "shut up" doesn't add to the discussion. Just make your points and save the childish outbursts for the classroom next week.
8/24/2006 4:36 PM
I have attended every board meeting for nearly two years -- the ones where Peter Downs was an audience member and the ones where he has served on the board.
To whoever said Peter Downs is brutally honest, he is brutal. He takes a little too much glee in smacking down any statements from Bob Archibald or Ron Jackson which he finds to be inaccurate -- watch the smirk on his face -- but he has always been a little too loose with the truth for my taste. He gets a half-informed rumor and runs with it. Did anyone read the Post today? He said he doesn't feel any need to check his information before printing it.
And what's with his Watch emails starting back up again? Doesn't he trust you, Antonio?
And to you, Pink, with all respect, your posts would be much more readable if you'd cut the French accent. I read them, but I would rather read a straight post. Your accent muddles your points.
-- Cletus
8/24/2006 5:53 PM
Inspecteur Clouseau ici: Bravo, Antonio, bravo. In dialogue or discussions, no one should tell another to shut up.
As for monsieur Cletus, Je suis qui je suis. I am who I am. If I put up with others, you may have to put up with me and mon accent français. Here, I believe, they are in accord with la France, "c'est la liberté."
8/24/2006 6:08 PM
Cletus
Thanks for the question regarding the "Watch" e-mails starting up again. I am a bit confused...."Would the real "SchoolWatch" please stand up!
8/25/2006 6:52 PM
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