I would ask him to pick up the check.

Sounds as if the mayor was a great and respected attorney. These are the questions that I would ask the Mayor:

1. What does he think are the qualities of a good leader?

2. Does he feel that he possess the qualities of a great leader?

3. Is there anything that he feels he needs to improve or change about his leadership style?

4. Does he have any regrets about any of his decisions made or the things that he has supported in office?

5. Which does he think that he was better at, being an attorney, or being a mayor?

6. Why does he think that the citizens of St. Louis should vote for him in the up-coming elections?

1. Why is there such animosity between the black and white communities?
2. Given the fall out from the firing of Chief George, would you have
handled the situation differently?
3. By most standards, given the problems of the average mayor, your term of
has been viewed largely successful by white community and a disaster by
your detractors. Do you feel your own party continues to undermine your
efforts. Is this an attempt to simply replace you with a black mayor and
do you feel the same has occurred to other white mayors?
4. What do you feel is your most satisfying accomplishment while in office?

Ed Jamison
8:38 am 15 June 2008

How has the racial divide in the city impeded your goal of making the city a place more people want to live in?
If you’re elected to another term, what will you do as mayor to reduce racial divisions in the city?
Why do you think your policies are viewed as increasing racial divides in the city by so many of your constituents?

Are there any blacks in your inner circle?
What are the qualifications of Jeff Rainford to be the political spokesperson for the city?
How did John Steffen receive so much tax credits and non cash incentives from the city and state?
How would you replace the earningsa tax?

St. Louis City would be a bustling high-prestige city if we had high quality schools. I would ask the Mayor these questions:

A) Evaluate the schools of the City of St. Louis and compare your evaluation to the actions of the many thousands of families who move out of the city to avoid the public schools or who pay big money to send their kids to private schools in the city.

B) What is your plan for making St. Louis the type of city where people move TO the city to send their kids to the public schools?

C) Why do most discussions about the District fail to focus on how to make city schools excellent? Why do most public discussions focus only on how to make the schools passable?

D) For those of us who want to know more about the St. Louis School District but can’t regularly attend the school board meetings, what do you suggest? Are their websites where we can get self-critical reports of what is happening with the District (academically) and get satisfaction that our property taxes are being spent wisely by the District?

1. What will a state appointed board be able to do for the SLPS that an elected one cannot do? Also, will the mayor visit every public school unannounced to see business for himself instead of relying upon Robyn Wahby’s assessment?
2. Would you lobby the state of Missouri to increase their fair share of funding for public education, specifically with the SLPS facing another $30 million deficit?
3. How is the mayor going to address the Paul McKee/Blairmont situation in North St. Louis where bought property is destroying communities through neglect and decay?
4. What does the Mayor see as the major issues affecting the increase in violent crime within the city and propose as solutions to curb these instances?
5. Why is TIF seemingly the only “carrot” dangled in front of developers to lure investment into the city?
6. How can you change the perception of those who live in St. Louis County and other surrounding counties that the city is not on par with Baghdad? Perception of the city as being unsafe and too dangerous is rampant.

Yea, ask him who’ll pick up all the trash strewn about the city. Also, why not tear down Powell Square building downtown instead of it being the graffiti center of the city. Nice “welcome to St. Louis” that shows people.