St. Louis City NAACP & Carpenters Union Announce Signature Gathering Effort to Rebuild St. Louis

City Residents Would Vote on Proposal in the Upcoming November 3, 2020 Election No Tax Increase Will Be Required

The St. Louis city NAACP and St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council announced today they are starting a signature gathering effort to rebuild St. Louis.

If enough signatures are collected, city residents will vote on this proposal in the upcoming November 3, 2020 election.

“Our proposal will transform St. Louis neighborhoods and provide opportunities for underserved St. Louis residents,” said Adolphus Pruitt, President, St. Louis City NAACP “The efforts will be funded by entering into a long-term lease with a private partner at Lambert Airport.”

The funds generated would be spent in the following areas:
• 30% but not less than $300 million for police, fire, and safe neighborhoods
• 20% but not less than $200 million for neighborhood development including improving or repurposing buildings
• 20% but not less than $200 million for jobs training including minority pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship programs in construction and building trades
• 10% but not less than $100 million for streets, bridges, and parks
• 10% but not less than $100 million for removal of vacant buildings and the construction of affordable housing and home repair programs
• 10% but not less than $100 million for transportation infrastructure or multipurpose facilities

All of these expenditures would be done through long-standing St. Louis City appropriation processes. We have devised a governing plan that is consistent with St. Louis City protocols and procedures. Standards for revenue are included so that potential investors know the baseline of revenue they must generate for our city. If the voters authorize the city to move forward, truly transformational change can be accomplished.

This proposal also calls for yearly audits to be conducted by an outside auditing firm to assure proper oversight of all spending.

If approved by voters, it would authorize the City to enter into a lease of Lambert International Airport with the following conditions:
• Total proceeds must exceed $1.7 billion and cash up front must be at least $1.0 billion
 All airport debt must be paid off first
• Airport union employee compensation and benefits shall not be reduced or changed
• Existing airport employees shall be offered job s with no reduction in compensation
• Funds are placed in trust funds and restricted with 50% spent in the first 3 years and the other 50% spent in the next 6 years

The citizens of St. Louis will make the decision whether or not they agree with a public/private partnership with our St. Louis airport which represents a real opportunity to transform our city forever.

“Our proposal will create jobs and invest in our infrastructure,” said Al Bond, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council.

​“This is the perfect opportunity to train workers and put St. Louisans back to work.” Earlier this year, both organizations held a joint press conference to announce their plans to keep the airport public/private partnership conversation alive and encouraged interested parties to submit proposals for a public-private partnership at Lambert International Airport. 

SIGN THE PETITION TODAY:
http://www.stlouisnaacp.org/airport-privatization-initiative-sign-up.html