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>> I know sometimes uh it's pointed out to us that none of you live in the city.

Well, Joe, you live in the city and the city earnings tax talk is is back up.

Uh the um like I say it mostly Democrats, but I guess we could call it bipartisan because we have differing Democrats coming together to protect the earnings tax especially important if the state sales tax or the state income tax is going away, less money coming.

So uh are we going to keep it or would one day this thing finally go away?

When we look for that great camaraderie, that coming together of diverse minds, city residents of pretty much every sector go, we need the earnings tax.

The city flat needs the earnings tax.

So, my guess is is that every city voter will go out and vote to once again renew the earnings tax.

>> Now, you said you were for reduced taxes and anything we can do to reduce taxes, but not that one.

>> I'm also not for killing things.

I'm cutting back spending.

And that literally is a case of survival.

>> Well, and when I read Mayor Spencer's little she kind of like an aside where she said, "We're going to look at um all other revenue streams and maybe we will increase the earnings tax."

I thought, "What?"

You know, that's going to >> I don't think so.

>> I wouldn't say that out loud.

>> Think you want to vote for the 1%.

So, good job, mayor.

You know, >> speaking of those 1enter badges, >> right?

Speaking of conversation starters in the past, it's not a conversation.

We have to have it now.

I mean, we do.

I I do wonder though if if the people who like me who work in the city who I I know no one forces me to work in a place in the city had a vote on this.

Um would it pass?

>> No.

And that's why you're not going to vote on it.

>> That was But here's the thing like this was put on this was put in place by Rex Singfell.

This is one of the few successful political things he's done.

And for whatever reason, maybe it was because uh Mayor Slay and Sinfeld were close and Slay asked, "Please don't like make the surrounding counties vote.

Um the there was never a situation where this the the people that work in the city have to vote on this because you're right, Joe, if if it would fail miserably."

>> Okay.

I think it would be closer than you think because I think North County voters would probably side with the city in that, you know, this if the city goes down, then the next thing that would be North County.

I I in a weird way, I think it would be closer.

I hear what you're saying.

Also, I really would like to know what percentage of people in the county actually work in the city because all we hear is nobody's ever in the city.

>> Well, the people who do work in the city, they they depend on city police.

They depend on the roads.

I mean, it just seems like to me that 1% tax is not a ownerous burden.

When you depend on the city for so many services.

>> I agree.

But that 1% that you know from from working to the American and paying and whatnot.

I never thought about the police.

I never thought about the roads.

I honestly kind of just thought about it.

It goes into general budget and every general budget needs some money.

So, I don't think people actually stop and say like, "Hey, I'm paying for the police and I'm paying for the roads."

I think you're just saying like, "I'm doing what I should do."

>> And our provocator in absencia, um I think he's still trying to claw back those COVID uh earnings tax.

Remember one of those remember when he was trying to work when he was working from home or he said that the earnings tax should have been reimbursed >> which I think it was for some people if they want to make it go through the trouble or that's exact at this at this table.

I don't know.

But I think the consensus between us was that just wasn't even worth the effort.

>> It wasn't it was worth it for him.

>> And I will just add like because I live in Richmond Heights and Forest Park is literally within walking distance.

I do see the I I absolutely agree with with all of you, including Bill.

>> I'm in Forest Park every day.

I live a block away that when the closer you are to the city, the more you appreciate the services and the more likely you're probably going to support it in a admittingly hypothetical regionwide vote on that.

>> All right.

Yeah, but we're not going to stretch it out that way and find out.

So, we're just going to go ahead and keep that vote.

>> Well, Sam, we're going to we're going to merge, you know.

>> Well, that's right.

That's right.

>> Maybe Sam Page could come out and and come up.

>> Yeah.

The city comes into the county.

I don't think there's an earnings tax anymore, which I think would create a lot of interesting issues for the city.

>> No, it'd be great.

I think if you if the county offices were like in the city, then it would force people to come to the city more.

>> Could be.

I >> Maybe it won't happen.

Not that that part, but it the whole idea of the merger going back to that moment happened, but it would be a way to force activity into downtown St.

Louis across the river east side.

Hey, the arch grounds could expand across the river.

Wendy, it's an idea that seems to once again be picking up some momentum.

I like it.

Let's go for it.

What do you think?

>> I like it.

I have always liked it.

No matter how many of you hurt my feelings when I talk about it, I just feel like the time I you it's just it's it's not pleasing to have the the grain elevator and the decaying east side looking out against the majestic arch and you know the the the the reurbished arch grounds there there we need to have that kind of cohesion.

Um, and I I think it could absolutely be transformative for East St.

Louis.

Don't ask me how, but I really I I feel like it could be.

>> I I granted it's not a park, but Newport was a dump when I was in when I was an intern in Cincinnati in 1981.

Nobody wanted to go to Newport.

Now, Newport is like just high living across from Cincinnati.

>> And and anything anything that brings East St.

Louis into the riverfront.

I I think will that it raises all boats would rise.

>> So Raj and uh >> and and Juliana Stratton, >> they could save us.

>> They could save us.

>> Well, the uh the the the thing that's different this time is is that not only is what's known as Malcolm Martin Park, which is what we see directly across where the old Gateway Geyser used the geyser is, right?

>> That's in Malcolm Martin Park.

They've also taken so that is going to become part of the National Park Services eventual purchase along with 20 acres that are vacant to the south of the park.

Now, according to Ryan Mccclure from the Gateway Park uh Gateway Arch Park Foundation, what this will do is allow to keep a park setting for that to, you know, for the aesthetic of it, but then also to allow commercial type development to go on next to that.

And they are still, of course, there's no price tag on it yet.

Well, never >> and they're still working on that.

They're still looking at feasibility studies.

So, this is way in the beginning.

So the one difference because we have been here before where this is the new age.

I remember during Barack Obama's administration they wanted it for 2015 uh the 50th anniversary of the arch they were hoping it was and there was no funding and that's always the problem.

They're saying now they hope by putting on this extra 20 acres they can take care of everybody's concerns that it remains this peaceful park setting but then also allows for commercial development.

So they're saying this is a better plan, but right now it is simply a plan.

>> And I'm like you.

I have I haven't seen it in terms of the specifics, but could it be mixed use where I mean you could if you had if you had residential if you had condos on the river, which is something that everybody's been trying for quite a while, that would also be >> I think what they've written down is a plan and they're still figuring out what to fill in with that.

I think you would have to have that that component to it if you were going to truly turn the whole thing around.

Well, when you're talking about the cities broke, the counties broke, the federal government's broke, >> this seems a little bit far-fetched to me.

I remember when they were talking about gondas or gondas going across the river, and it just sounded cool, but you know, we can't afford it.

>> Can't afford that.

But you know what?

When I have relatives in town, we can afford to go to Uncle Bills.

It's reopening on uh South Kings Highway.

Good for that.

That's what favorite place to take people from out of town when they're in town.

Throw one out there for me each of you.

Where do you take people when they're in town?

>> Caught you off guard.

>> You sure did.

>> I'm sorry.

>> Okay, I'll tell.

If I take them to Uncle Bill's, we get pancakes.

>> I mean, buttermilk or blueberry, but I tell people this is not called Uncle Bill's uh owning.

Bill McClellen does not actually own you get pancakes.

We like Billy Billy G's and and when we go to Uncle Bill's pancake house, that's the only probably the only only place we all eat pancakes, but we do like Billy G's out in >> Where is in Chesterfield?

>> Chesterfield.

>> Actually, O'Connell's is where I take people.

>> There you go.

>> I would OConnell's or Pappys.

>> All right.

Now, when I'm in Jeff City, where are you going to take me?

>> Oh, in Jefferson City, I would take you to Colia.

Well, I'M >> That's terrible.

>> Now, YOU'RE GOING TO GET TOTALLY >> OKAY.

TO answer your question though about where I would take my my in-laws or my parents here, there are two places.

King and I in Richmond Heights and then in the city, I would take them to the Royale because they have delicious beet salad, which which I have, and they also have a lot of great non-alcoholic cocktails for non-drinkers like myself.

So, >> All right.

Well, I go to the Royale for the uh uh alcohol for the >> alcohol and the ambiance.

It's a good It's a good place.

Steve Smith, you're doing a great job with the with the drinks and the beet salad.

No, like I said, when Uncle Bill's closed, I think we all had this little place in our heart where we said like, I hope it opens again.

And some time was passing by.

They say they're going to make it look something.

I liked it scraggly kind of, you know, like, hey.

So, I don't want it to be >> after hours.

after hours.

After hours, >> I don't think it started scraggly.

It just got scraggly.

>> After hours she >> I didn't mean to say Uncle Bill is scraggly you.

All right.

And neither are you.

Thank you guys watching.

Uh last call.

We'll see you next week.