Black History Month This week and every week in February, The American has a special black history section.
B Section
Vol. 84 No. 45
CAC Audited FEBRUARY 7 – 13, 2013
COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
Where did the Prop E money go? Longtime Slay operative managing earning tax funds spent without accounting By Rebecca S. Rivas Of The St. Louis American Remember when Mayor Francis G. Slay aggressively fundraised in the Proposition E campaign to keep the city’s earnings tax? The money went into the Citizens for a Stronger St. Louis campaign committee. After its success in the April 5, 2011 election, the committee had $151,574.77 left over to
transfer to its nonprofit corporation counterpart (with the same name) on April 30, 2011. Now the nonprofit has a balance of about $35,000, said Brad Ketcher, Slay’s legal counsel and manager for the nonprofit. Mayoral candidate Lewis Reed, also president of the Board of Aldermen, is demanding that Slay’s staff provide bank account transaction histories to show how
“I don’t remember those transactions. I trust the political finance reports are accurate.” – Bradley Ketcher
these funds were spent. Reed said citizens and businesses that donated to Citizens for a Stronger St. Louis deserve to know what happened to their contributions.
“To be clear, these funds were donated to preserve one of our city’s most important revenue streams, and now we don’t know where that money went,” Reed said.
State dissolves nonprofit According to the nonprofit’s 2010 IRS 990 statement, Citizens for a Stronger St. Louis had $86,521 at the end of its fiscal year on Oct. 31, 2011. The IRS statement does not detail where the funds went to. It lumps them in general “expense” categories. Ketcher said the nonprofit reimbursed those who wanted their donations back and that’s
where most of the money went. The campaign also had 50 to 60 staffers to pay, he said. The 2011 IRS report is not due until May 2013 – after the March 5 Democratic primary when the city’s next mayor will in effect be chosen. Tom Shepard, Reed’s chief of staff, said Slay’s counsel could have kept the campaign committee intact until all the See MONEY, A6
Newcomer challenges Hubbard ‘I want to hold developers accountable,’ says Michelle Hutchings-Medina By Chris King Of The St. Louis American
“There are a lot of cool things happening everywhere in this city. We just need the right leadership.” – Michelle HutchingsMedina
On the March 5 primary ballot, city voters in odd-numbered wards will elect their new aldermen, given that Democratic candidates routinely win the general election. Of the contested seats, perhaps the most controversial is the 5th Ward, where incumbent Alderman Tameka Hubbard faces Michelle HutchingsMedina, 45, a first-time candidate. “There are a lot of development issues on the North Side,” Hutchings-Medina said, explaining the controversy. Most of Paul McKee Jr.’s controversial $8 billion Northside Redevelopment involves the 5th Ward. Alderman April Ford-Griffin, who represented the 5th Ward, played a major role in negotiating McKee’s redevelopment agreement, which is stalled in the courts, before resigning to take a position in Mayor Francis G. Slay’s administration. Hubbard – sister of former state Rep. Rodney Hubbard – was elected as FordGriffin’s successor. Rodney Hubbard, now a lobbyist representing McKee, played a critical role in the state Legislature’s 2007 passage of the Distressed Land Assemblage Tax Credit when he was a state representative. McKee
Photo by Wiley Price
Gospel midshipmen On the Sunday of the MLK holiday weekend, the U.S. Naval Academy Gospel Choir performed at the 11 a.m. Mass at St. Alphonsus “The Rock” Church, 1118 N. Grand Blvd. The midshipmen performed gospel and mainstream music.
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Dotson on Mokwa, mayor, diversity Interview with the new police chief, part 2
See MEDINA, A7
By Rebecca S. Rivas Of The St. Louis American
CITY NAACP TURNS 100
The St. Louis American: This past spring, Chief Dan Isom, the Consortium for Police Leadership and Equity, and the ACLU came together to talk about how they could work together and sign an agreement for a mediation policy. Were you involved in that process, and are you planning on continuing that conversation?
By Bridjes O’Neil Of The St. Louis American This year the St. Louis City NAACP chapter is celebrating its 100th anniversary. In honor of the occasion, last month the chapter launched its Centennial Campaign during a kickoff reception hosted by Ameren. The campaign has a fundraising goal of $500,000. During his opening remarks, Adolphus M. Pruitt II, president See NAACP, A6
LIVING IT
Photo by Wiley Price
Police Chief Sam Dotson: I am. We have a formal complaint-taking process. If we have the ability to help citizens understand why officers acted the way they did and officers to understand how civilians perceived their
Police Chief Sam Dotson
BUSINESS
See DOTSON, A7
SPORTS
From home to Hollywood
“If they can see me, they can be me”
Rise of the black quarterback
OWN Network’s hit show “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” earns an NAACP Image Award.
Professionals discussed the benefits of pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and math with youth and their families.
Colin Kaepernick was a forgotten flag away from from becoming the first black signal caller to win the Super Bowl since 1988.
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