East St. Louis ends month-long teacher strike; city's budget in trouble
Updated Nov. 20 to clarify the city's current budget deficit. Updated at 7 p.m. Oct. 30 with vote results: Class will be back in session on Monday for the 6,000 students enrolled in East St. Louis...
View ArticleEast St. Louis city manager says payless paydays are a 'distinct possibility'...
East St. Louis officials are looking to the state and the banks to avoid having to ask city employees to work without pay in January. At a news conference convened by the mayor Friday evening, City...
View ArticleIllinois gaming revenue saves East St. Louis from potential payless paydays
Cash-strapped East St. Louis has received an overdue gift from the state just in time for the holidays: $2.5 million worth of back taxes from the Illinois gaming board. Normally East St. Louis receives...
View ArticleFirst step complete in city's byzantine budget process
The departure of the Rams to Los Angeles may mean budget cuts for some St. Louis agencies. The city's top three elected officials on Tuesday approved a proposed spending plan for fiscal year 2017 ,...
View ArticleThe 2017 city budget primer: Totals, employees, capital needs, reserve fund
St. Louis aldermen began working Wednesday morning on the $1.04 billion spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The budget has very few major changes from last year. The city bridges the...
View ArticleProtecting public safety takes people — and St. Louis law enforcement says it...
Aldermen in charge of St. Louis' budget heard more requests Wednesday from department officials who say they can't do the jobs they should without additional staffing. Representatives of the St. Louis...
View ArticleAldermen put their stamp on the 2017 budget
For the past two weeks, the heads of city departments have come to the Ways and Means Committee asking the aldermen for additional money to cover their needs. On Monday, it was the aldermen's turn to...
View ArticleOn the Trail: Greitens likely to confront tough budgetary situation when he...
As noted last week , Gov.-elect Eric Greitens will have a lot of latitude to bring about major policy changes – thanks to huge Republican majorities in the General Assembly. But it’s becoming...
View ArticleMissouri budget cuts present roadblock to citizenship for immigrants over 60
Between learning U.S. civics and history to acing all four parts of the naturalization exam — passing the U.S. citizenship test is no walk in the park. For older immigrants who don’t speak English, the...
View ArticleAfter community outcry, O'Fallon Township High School reduces teacher layoffs
Updated March 3, 2017 with results of an emergency meeting — A Metro East high school has reversed the severity of its planned teacher cuts for next school year. At an emergency meeting Thursday, the...
View ArticleA primer: St. Louis' 2018 budget
It’s again time for St. Louis officials to wrestle with the budget, a process that kicked off last week with budget director Paul Payne presenting an initial draft to Mayor Lyda Krewson, Board of...
View ArticleSt. Louis police department asks for budget increase; some question how money...
The interim chief of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department asked the city’s Board of Aldermen on Wednesday to find money for hiring more officers and providing better pay. Liberal activists,...
View ArticleSt. Louis aldermen send $1B budget to Mayor Lyda Krewson
Updated at June 30 with final passage — The Board of Aldermen voted 23-1 on Friday to send the fiscal year 2018 budget to Mayor Lyda Krewson. The $1 billion spending plan is mostly flat compared to...
View ArticleSteve Conway resigns as 8th Ward alderman to become St. Louis assessor
Updated at 4:25 p.m. Nov. 27 with comments from Conway — A 27-year veteran of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen has resigned to become the city’s assessor. Krewson’s office announced Monday morning that...
View ArticleGreitens seeks funding bump for college scholarships while cutting higher ed...
Gov. Eric Greitens is proposing a $6.5 million increase to Missouri’s student financial aid programs, a modest boost amid his desire to cut $68 million in direct funds to the state’s public colleges...
View ArticleFew changes to K-12 education pending as Missouri legislature remains ‘bogged...
As the clock winds down on the Missouri General Assembly’s regular session, legislators distracted by the Greitens scandal have done little to change the public school landscape. But that could change...
View ArticleLawmakers cut health department funds following Bourbon virus showdown
The Missouri legislature has retaliated against the state health department by including what some called drastic cuts to the agency in next year’s budget. Lawmakers approved the cuts , totaling in...
View ArticleGardner defends prosecution of Greitens, says it’s cost $65,000 so far
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner told the city’s budget committee Thursday that her decision to charge Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens with two felonies did not take away from her office’s ability to...
View ArticleBudget committee OKs spending plan for city of St. Louis
St. Louis’ budget committee on Wednesday approved the city’s $1.1 billion spending plan that is set to take effect July 1. Members voted unanimously to send the budget to the full Board of Aldermen, a...
View ArticleSt. Louis Board of Aldermen sends $1.1-billion budget to mayor
The St. Louis Board of Aldermen Friday gave its approval to a $1.1-billion spending plan that includes more money for vacant-building demolition and help for the homeless. The 22-2 vote, with one...
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