By Antonio D. French
Filed Thursday, November 16, 2006 at 8:17 PM
U.S. Senator Kit Bond today announced almost $500,000 in federal funds for a new education and arts community center in north St. Louis. Labels: Development
"This new center will provide community outreach to some of the neediest neighborhoods in the St. Louis area," Bond said in a press release today.
"This community is committed to providing children and families in the city a chance to succeed and I am proud to be a part of this important effort."
As chairman of the Senate Transportation-Treasury-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee, Bond secured $495,000 in federal funds for the Mark Twain Community Alliance which will be used to renovate a building that will become the Redevelopment, Arts, Culture and Educational Center in St. Louis.
The center will help residents living in the most disadvantaged zip codes in St. Louis City and County (63115, 63113, 63120). Children in these zip codes are exposed to numerous risk factors such as poverty, single parent households, teen pregnancy and violence. Drop-out rates in the area are also among the highest in the city.
Ald. Charles Quincy Troupe is quoted praising Bond's record.
"He extended himself to include the black community in a way that no other governor, before him or after him, did."
"As the senior U.S. Senator and statesman, he continues to exercise inclusion whether it is biodiesel in southeast Missouri or the development of a youth and family center in north St. Louis," said Troupe.
17 Comments:
If the lesson of the election was to pander to "moderates," and "moderates" don't like "pork," better enjoy this success by Bond while it lasts.
To what was Troupe referring when he mentioned biodiesel in SE MO as an example of Bond's inclusion?
11/16/2006 8:48 PM
I am somewhat bewildered by your headline; 'Bond secures $500K for North St. Louis.' To whom are you pandering? There were more people and organizations involved in this than Bond. Certainy his efforts were essential, and gratitude and thanks are deserved. But a lot more went into this than Kit Bond. Give us a break.
11/16/2006 9:37 PM
Here's the list of everyone on this subcommittee:
Senator Christopher Bond (Chairman) (MO)
Senator Richard Shelby (AL)
Senator Arlen Specter (PA)
Senator Robert Bennett (UT)
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)
Senator Mike DeWine (OH)
Senator Sam Brownback (KS)
Senator Ted Stevens (AK)
Senator Pete Domenici (NM)
Senator Conrad Burns (MT)
Senator Patty Murray (Ranking Member) (WA)
Senator Robert C. Byrd (WV)
Senator Barbara Mikulski (MD)
Senator Harry Reid (NV)
Senator Herb Kohl (WI)
Senator Richard Durbin (IL)
Senator Byron Dorgan (ND)
Senator Patrick Leahy (VT)
Senator Tom Harkin (IA)
Who else besides Kit Bond do you think included this little piece of pork for St. Louis City?
Credit where credit is due.
11/16/2006 9:58 PM
The 1st Ward elected officials definitely have a great relationship with Republicans that has worked to their benefit.
The Republicans chose their area as the most needy in North St. Louis, and nobody was aware of this money coming to the 1st Ward elected officials during Senator Claire McCaskill's election.
The timing of this announcement is definitely interesting, since Kit Bond waited until after the Senatorial election was over.
Everybody knows that the 1st Ward elected officials are really Republicans and have/will be supporting Republicans wholeheartedly in the future, but they will argue that people should not stay loyal to either political party.
Democrats should not tolerate traitors in the Democratic Party, and Democratic elected officials that feel that there should be no loyalty to one political party over another should resign their Democratic post.
Democrats don't need traitors in the Party at this vital time, and don't want them either!
"Anything for money" is the motto of the 1st Ward elected officials!
11/17/2006 1:52 AM
Anonymous, are you actually arguing that an alderman should refuse a half million dollars for a new youth center in his ward just because the money has been gotten by a Republican?
I think the people of his ward should rightfully run him out of office if he turned down this aid just because of partisan politics.
I gotta say these partisan snipes are getting old. Voters elect their representatives to do what's best for their communities, not their parties.
You act like the headline say "Bond pays Troupe $500K"! This money is for a community center to help kids who really, really need it -- kids whose moms don't give a damn WHO the money came from, they're just glad to have a safe place for their sons and daughters to go.
11/17/2006 7:04 AM
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11/17/2006 8:13 AM
Kit Bond is a good guy. He might have the partisan rhetoric, but they all do.
If he can get North St. Louis 500k, then I say good fucking job Kit.
If Troupe refused the money then he would be a fool. Why refuse Federal Dollars when they do not come around every day?
It does not matter which party gave the money. What matters is that someone actually did something. Maybe it is for votes, but the end result will be public investment in an area which desperately needs attention.
11/17/2006 8:16 AM
Antonio;
Are you saying NOBODY at the local level was involved in this? That NOBODY on the loal level brought this need to the attention of Bond and his staff? That NOBODY on the local level help detrmine the site, determine the scope, helped prepare the request, etc? Please.
Of course Bond and his local and DC office deserve thanks and credit. But your headline doesn't just imply, it actually gives, all credit to Bond. I wonder how often that headline will be used to show how much Bond in particular, and the Republicans in general, care about inner-city affairs?
11/17/2006 9:01 AM
So your arguement is that others besides Troupe asked Bond to do what he did? I agree with that.
But it was still Bond who actually did it. He had the power and he exercised it.
Does he always? No.
Did he this time? Yes.
Does he deserve a headline for it? Yep.
In the new Congress, Congressman Clay will likely be the new chairman of the Government Reform Committee Subcommittee on Federalism and the Census, which oversees census issues, federal aid to states and localities and federal grants. When he begins to use that new power to bring $500K and $1M grants to St. Louis City, I'll be happy to write those headlines too.
Credit where credit is due. I don't play party politics in my reports.
11/17/2006 9:12 AM
ANtonio:
You wrote: " I don't play party politics in my reports."
Since you admit in your post that Bond doesn't always exercise the power available to him to benefit inner city affairs, but you give him a praiseworthy headline when he does, perhaps you can point me to an equally noteworthy headline you wrote that criticizes him for NOT exercising that power.
I'm not trying to be nit-picky here, (although admittdly it sure seems like it). I just have a problem with the way you posted the headline. Thanks for listening.
11/17/2006 9:30 AM
You guys need to wise up.
The Federal Government does not hand out money for these types of projects as was once done in the past. They are quick to fund highways but not projects like this, especially in disadvantaged areas.
Kit Bond represents the entire State of Missouri. He took his time out to give money for North St. Louis. This was probably done through earmarking, which means Kit did this himself. It was probably brought to his attention that there is a need, however he actually got the money issued. What is the controversy?
11/17/2006 9:52 AM
Alternate headline:
"Bond sends Happy Holidays card to North St. Louis: Inside $5 bill with note to spend this on community center"
This is a weak signal that Republicans are now a weak party that will compromise.
He is also showin some, not much, respect for the back community. The Black working class clearly rejected Talent's and other Republicans empty outreach to Black folks.
On the other hand alaska got BILLIONS of dollars for bridgs that will probably searve as many Alaskins as this $500K community center will serve Missourians.
11/17/2006 10:14 AM
There are really some stupid people that contribute under the name of anonymous. Since I chose to use that same name, I will add my name to the DEE DEE DEE list. Anybody that thinks that efforts like this are only done for political gains clearly miss the boat and probably don't visit community's like the 1st Ward. Do people actually think that any offer of support should be turned away? Are those people who think this going to stand up and offer help? I think not!! While 500K is not a lot of money for the problems that afflict North St. Louis, it is 500K more than they had to begin with. We need to welcome everyone who wants to help the people of that community work through their issues. This program was not created by Bond but by the people of the 1st. Stop hatin' and stop playin'. Let stop the stupid politics that have gotten us nowhere and help those that want to create a better quality of life in their communities. Kit Bond stepped up and did.
11/17/2006 11:13 AM
This is obviously the pay off for the .02% who voted for Talent. Just think what they would have gotten if .03% would have voted for Talent.
11/17/2006 12:09 PM
Hmm, I wonder if that committee is responsible for Community Development Block Grants? I have been reading over the last few( oh, at least five) years about the magically decreasing amount of money "available" for CDBG's. It is certain that during Mr. Bush's presence, and probably with Mr. Bond's assistance, the billions in additional grants and subsidies to energy, pharma, mining and other large industrial and commercial interests have increased dramatically. This is certain to impact negatively the programs which represent a stabilizing investment in our nations' urban and rural areas that have not had the fortune to produce enough income--ergo: power and influence--to substantially reduce poverty and crime. Indeed, one of the most beneficial programs to this end, Mr. Clinton's COPS program, vanished in a puff of Republican get-tough-on-crime rhetoric in the first few months of Mr. Bush's regime. T'would be interesting to see Bond's voting record for the funding bills associated with these programs, amongst many others.
11/18/2006 3:00 PM
BOND...Kit Bond(I had to get that out of my system).
I guess some people would rather have our community ignored and people continue to suffer just because that person is a Republican, rather than accept that a statewide official saw a need a chose to try to address it. That is sick. Not one idiot that wrote a negative comment could name one that that Carnahan or Eagleton did to address the problems in the African American community.
Maybe these people would feel more comfortable if Kit was James and he had a PPK. Then he could hang out with the bros and pop people randomly. They probably like this image...yeah, now that's a Republican they could go for. Sick, Sick, Sick...when are we going to just work in the interest of what really counts. People we are getting played...THINK!!!
OH, by the way, make sure you don't take any Republican tainted money for Christmas.
11/19/2006 8:25 AM
We need Bond to help in future funding for Metrolink to the Northside and other forms of money allocation that are of benefit.
11/23/2006 12:36 AM
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