[<a href=”//storify.com/nextSTL/city-of-st-louis-mayoral-candidate-forum-1-2013″ target=”_blank”>View the story “City of St. Louis Mayoral Candidate Forum #1 , 2013” on Storify</a>]<h1>City of St. Louis Mayoral Candidate Forum #1 , 2013</h1><h2>The Mayoral Candidate Forum was presented in partnership with the League of Women Voters, the St. Louis Public Library, and Community Builders Network.</h2><p>Storified by <a href=”http://storify.com/nextSTL”>nextSTL.com</a>· Tue, Jan 29 2013 22:41:57</p><div>Using shorter #stlmayor “@MARTIN_CASAS: @countondowntown @nextstl Can we use the hash tag #MayorsForumSTL or something similar?”nextSTL.com</div><div>Because we say so: #stlmayor. #savingcharacters</div><div>A full house for Mayoral Forum. Auditorium filled to the gills. #stlmayornextSTL.com</div><div>It begins! #STLMAYOR debate! #stl http://pic.twitter.com/1g95UbbtMO_Snark</div><div>StL Mayoral debate. Auditorium in Central Library used to be the coal bin. Looks great. #stlmayorlouis galli</div><div>If you haven’t been to the renovated Central Library, go! It’s incredible.</div><div>Tonight’s Mayoral Forum is a co-production of Library, League of Women Voters and Partnership for Downtown St. Louis. #stlmayornextSTL.com</div><div>Slay begins with opening speech, asks to remember where we were 12 yrs ago. #stlmayornextSTL.com</div><div>Certainly worthy of consideration. There were 29,000 more city residents, but a lot of renovation and investment has happened as well. Led by downtown, many neighborhoods have seen growth and quite a number of long-vacant buildings have come back to life.</div><div>In the Overflow room which is now full so the Library folks are sending people to the Overflow room for the Overflow room. #stlmayorTim Eby</div><div>Did we mention it was a packed house?</div><div>Slay: very proud of new young people in the city and top ranking of Stl concerning LBGT issues. #stlmayornextSTL.com</div><div>That is a good thing.</div><div>I will have no problem to obey the directive of not to clap. #stlmayorSteven Smith</div><div>Incredible self control. Actually, listening the KMOX raw audio of the forum, the crowd does not follow instructions and seems rather rude, though some will claim “enthusiastic”.</div><div>Matthews seems not to be too fond of charter school system. #stlmayornextSTL.com</div><div>Reed: I’m running because I am a father of 4. We c an do better. STL’s best days in front of us. #stlmayornextSTL.com</div><div>As @Reed4Mayor makes his opening statement … Very interesting to observe the @mayorslay stare down. #stlmayorTim Eby</div><div>"Hopefully tonight you’ll be able to see the difference between me and my opponent." – Lewis Reed #stlmayor http://pic.twitter.com/y3ke0MdSSam Levin</div><div>Matthews: Crime is everywhere. Give young people opportunities instead of crime opportunities. #stlmayornextSTL.com</div><div>Two overflow rooms and the auditorium standing room only. Says a lot about our city that so many people will come out in the rain #stlmayorDanny Sherling</div><div>Did we mentioned it was packed?</div><div><h2>On crime and safety:</h2></div><div>Reed: We need our police officers to be happy. Morale is low. There’s a pay disparity. #stlmayornextSTL.com</div><div>Led poisoning reduction mention # 2 from @MayorSlay. #stlmayorSam Levin</div><div>An important issue for a city with a lot of lead paint and contamination. This has been in the news recently with <a href=”http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/01/lead-crime-link-gasoline?page=1″ class=””>an article in Mother Jones magazine</a>.</div><div>Slay hammers on fact that pension funds are unaffordable. #stlmayornextSTL.com</div><div>I think @MayorSlay was just booed for saying the city has too many "thugs." #crime #stlmayorSam Levin</div><div>Not a term that will go over well with some, can seem tone-deaf. And taken on its face, what’s the point? Doesn’t every city have too many “thugs”?</div><div>The future of STL should be contentious. MT @SamTLevin: "Wow these guys are arguing." – Jimmy Matthews. "We should be civil." #stlmayorAlex Ihnen</div><div>Slay: crime is dropping but it’s not enough. Progress still being made. #stlmayornextSTL.com</div><div>Reed: do gun buy-back programs at the holidays when people need the money. Interesting idea. #stlmayorMike Kinman</div><div>Debate about STL City crime is really about where the <strong>violent crime</strong> is. It’s here: <a href=”/urban-living/understanding-st-louis-homicides-2005-2012″ class=””>Understanding St. Louis: Homicides by Neighborhood 2005-2012</a></div><div>Observance: The Pension Funds issue is valid … But is it too complicated to be articulated in a forum like this one? #stlmayorTim Eby</div><div>Yes.</div><div>@MKinman: The reactions in this room reflect the deep racial divides in #STL and the passion behind them. #reconciliationneeded #stlmayorMike Kinman</div><div><h2>On schools:</h2></div><div>Slay: Families with children are leaving the city because of poor schools. Absolutely right. #stlmayorMichael Brickey</div><div>Reed: We must create world class public education system. (Reed also no fan of charter schools.) #stlmayornextSTL.com</div><div>Meanwhile no one has yet said one word about job creation or economic growth, which is the only way we can afford this stuff. #stlmayorTim Logan</div><div><h2>On homelessness:</h2></div><div>“If you’re seriously concerned about homeless people,” you’ll let them sleep in City Hall. – Matthews at #stlmayor debateChris McDaniel</div><div>Reed says homelessness is not a city problem but regional problem. Many just paycheck away from losing roof over their head.#stlmayornextSTL.com</div><div>Slay: we’re at the forefront of battling homelessness issue, nationwide. Region turns back to homeless. #stlmayornextSTL.com</div><div><h2>On the City of St. Louis re-entering St. Louis County:</h2></div><div>"This cannot be our saving grace. We have to get our house in order." – Reed on city/county merger #stlmayorChris McDaniel</div><div>Reed: Merging with county not saving grace. Let’s get our house on order first. Let’s not beg county for help. #stlmayornextSTL.com</div><div>Slay: Very strong: city should re-enter county. We have lot to bring to the table. We need to compete together against the world. #stlmayornextSTL.com</div><div>St. Louisans should DEMAND that these debates are televised. #stlmayorAntonio French</div><div><h2>On NorthSide Regeneration development:</h2></div><div>Wonder if we’ll hear anything re: $400M TIF/$8B NorthSide or $550M Arch project..or non-commital "crime is high! Schools are bad!" #stlmayorAlex Ihnen</div><div>Candidates would get into NorthSide in a bit, but it seems no one’s particularly interested in the potential $120M+ sales tax in the city to fund a National Park, nor the way private entities decide which city streets to remove.</div><div>Slay on North side: Lots of potential. We used tax credits to revitalize buildings. I’m advocate for what McKee’s doing. #stlmayornextSTL.com</div><div>Matthews on McKee: "1,500 acres is too large for one project, one person. We should divide it up to 40 acres and a mule." #stlmayorMichael Brickey</div><div>STL leaders never learn that these big pie in the sky projects never work, what does work: organic development #stlmayorBill Streeter</div><div>Amen. And NorthSide is nothing if not big, but it’s also a very different type of development than a $350M stadium.</div><div>It’s obvious tonight that we have a poverty of trust. It is understandable, developing over decades, but profoundly unhelpful. #stlmayorMike Kinman</div><div>@MO_Snark reed has repeatedly voted in favor of mckee’s plan #stlmayorMimi Werkmeister</div><div>Imagine what Lafayette square would look like today if someone like Paul McKee got ahold of it 20 years ago. #stlmayorBill Streeter</div><div>Ouch. Though Lafayette Square never looked quite like the corner of, let’s say, Cass and Grand, or much of the other NorthSide properties.</div><div>Reed says he supports NorthSide, but the approach matters. Development "with" the ppl, not "to" them. #stlmayorTim Logan</div><div><h2>On business and immigration:</h2></div><div>"We were ranked 6th in america to start a new business. 10th to start black businesses." – Slay on bringing business to the city. #stlmayorChris McDaniel</div><div>Slay argues for more immigration to attract businesses. Touts 80% increase in financial jobs in last 5 years. #stlmayornextSTL.com</div><div>#stlmayor Matthews speaks the truth that the city blocks people who own buildings from opening businesses #complicitSteven Smith</div><div>Not a comment to be taken lightly from longtime city business owner.</div><div>Slay: "We got a lot of work to do." He has said that quite a few times. #stlmayorMichael Brickey</div><div>It’s true and also a challenge to his re-election. The question is, in cities like St. Louis (think Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Cleveland), how much can a mayor be expected to do? Perhaps this is especially pertinent in a very small city like St. Louis. The problems are massive and the resources rather small.</div><div><h2>On city water:</h2></div><div>. @MayorSlay talked about his award that he got for #stl water. What he forgot to mention was that #veolia gave him the award #stlmayorColleen</div><div>Reminder, Rex Sinquefield’s "think tank" says #STL should privatize its water: http://www.stlamerican.com/news/local_news/article_42c066bc-65ae-11e2-8cb1-0019bb2963f4.html #whatcouldgowrong? #stlmayorAdam Shriver</div><div>New #stlmayor issue? "@colleenkelly: In case you are curious where @MayorSlay got H2O award http://ow.ly/1RE1bD" Time to Google "Veolia".nextSTL.com</div><div>St. Louis City should no longer have partisan city elections. Why do we? Because general low turnout serves the status quo and makes elections smaller, cheaper and more predictable. This also harms the city.</div><div><h2>On race:</h2></div><div>"What would you do to heal this city?" last question RE racial tensions in the city. #twominutesGO #stlmayorSam Levin</div><div>"I’m African American if you haven’t noticed." -Lewis Reed. #stlmayor http://pic.twitter.com/0AiNz2eMSam Levin</div><div>WHAT?!?!</div><div>Slay: "The Delmar Divide is real…It’s not something easy to deal with. That has not been unrecognized by my administration." #stlmayorChris McDaniel</div><div>Slay- by neighborhood we are one of the most integrated cities, regionally we are most segregated. #audiblegasponfirstpart #stlmayorMike Kinman</div><div>There’s a statistic lurking in the basement of city hall somewhere that “proves” this, but it’s a silly line to throw out at a mayoral forum. My immediate reaction: “Idea/stat/claim/mention that <a href=”https://twitter.com/search?q=%23STL&src=hash” class=”twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav”>#<b>STL</b></a> is one of the most integrated cities in America is farcical, misleading, meaningless and wrong.” <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/nextstl/6961079679/” class=””>St. Louis map showing racial segregation</a>.</div><div>"We cannot take credit for a national movement." – Lewis Reed RE #stl reductions in #crime . #stlmayor http://pic.twitter.com/mTFTJRcpSam Levin</div><div>True, but this is what mayors (and many other politicians, as well as businessmen, mutual fund advisers…) often do, of course.</div><div>Slay respds: opponents aren’t new to city gov and haven’t said much about their record over last several years #stlmayorBeth O’Malley</div><div>There’s that.</div><div>Hmmm after this debate and crowd, I think this is much closer #stlmayor race than I thoughtColleen</div><div>We’ll see. Lewis Reed seems to enjoy the debate setting more than his opponents.</div><div>Did you know that only 31K people voters turned out for the 2009 democratic mayoral primary? Can we at least get it to #50KVotes? #stlmayorMK Stallings</div><div>#stlmayor is trendingAlexis Kraft</div><div>Very nice.</div>
Link to uncut KMOX audio from mayoral forum
