Live & Kern

Sometimes I write things for St. Louis Public Radio. Here’s what I wrote this week.

• Legal roundtable discusses lingering Ferguson issues, new Missouri laws
• Moth performers share storytelling secrets
• Disability institute works to overcome hiring, cultural obstacles
• Civil rights advocate says it’s time for a new Brown strategy
• Who was Jesus?
• St. Louis Public Radio to host St. Louis County executive debate
• Rep opens season with larger-than-life comedy
• Thousands expected for jazz and blues festival
• “Lovely friendship” backbone to album

This story originally appeared on RealTime/STL.

Chesterfield Mayor Bob Nation wants to look at seceding from St. Louis County and joining St. Charles County.

“I’m very seriously suggesting we need to consider looking at the constitutionality of the local sales tax system or even seceding from St. Louis County and joining St. Charles County because I don’t know what other solution to propose,” Nation told the City Council on Monday night, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

We broke down the social media reaction into three categories. Take a look.

Supporters

Chesterfield should not be punished for creating commerce. I stand with Bob Nations.http://t.co/AWioQcjnus

— Tony Pousosa (@TonyPousosa) May 6, 2014

Pousosa is running for St. Louis County executive.

Detractors

I'd say, "I'll never spend money in Chesterfield again", but I never have anyway. http://t.co/rMoPTGH4Ut

— Scott Ogilvie (@ward24stl) May 6, 2014

Ogilvie is a St. Louis alderman.

Chesterfield knew how the sales tax pool worked b4 building more net zero retail "economic development"

— St Louis Unite (@stlunite) May 6, 2014

St. Louis Unite is pushing to reunite St. Louis city and county.

@stlunite Chesterfield leaders don't seem to grasp that their econ "development" largely takes from other municipalities. @AntonioFrench

— Eric Budd (@ericmbudd) May 6, 2014

Questioners and philosophers

I do wonder if Chesterfield joining St. Charles County would actually improve St. Louis City/County cooperation/unification.

— Nate Brinson (@nwbrinson) May 6, 2014

Even with retaining 44% of sales tax revenue, Chesterfield has to be swimming in dollars. What are these bills they struggle with?

— Pt (@PTtheIslander) May 6, 2014

I've always considered Chesterfield to be essentially St. Charles anyway. Now, things could get awkward when it comes time for Taste of STL.

— Ashley Jost (@ajost) May 6, 2014

@bellagoth In his example, Wildwood/Chesterfield is like Marlins/Cardinals. Sit back, reap the benefits.

— Sean C. (@2xAught7) May 6, 2014

@mattfredstl I'd look at it from the other end. A major county muni wants change. Now, what sorts of changes make sense?

— Richard Callow (@publiceyestl) May 6, 2014

@TheSTLScoop @esosnoff Chesterfield and Ballwin should secede and merge, calling the new entity BallField.

— Yale L. Hollander (@YaleHollander) May 6, 2014

This story originally appeared on RealTime/STL.

The city of Ferguson may be the first to approve a resolution in support of studying a St. Louis city-county merger.

The resolution falls short of endorsing the unification, which is being debated throughout the region. Instead, it supports studying the pros and cons of unification, saying the city “welcomes any free, fair and honest examination of the governance of the St. Louis region.”

In late March, the Ballwin Board of Aldermen unanimously approved a resolution that opposed unification. Three weeks later, the Ellisville City Council followed suit.

The Ferguson City Council is expected to vote on the resolution at Tuesday’s meeting. It was presented at the April 15 meeting for a first read.