St. Louis Board of Aldermen Meeting - December 5, 2025

The Board of Aldermen convened on December 5, 2025, to address World AIDS Day observations, affirm the right to food in St. Louis, and legislate critical city matters including earnings tax renewal and election code updates. The meeting featured presentations from community partners regarding food insecurity and HIV services, followed by debates on municipal funding, legal authority regarding the Sheriff's office vacancy, and administrative updates. The session concluded with holiday announcements and a moment of silence for former Mayor James F. Conway.

Consent Calendar

• Routine approvals and unanimous actions included the Adoption of Board Bills 83 and 103 (airport Wi-Fi) and the adoption of the consent calendar for perfection.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jordan Braxton (Pride St. Louis): Delivered an opening reflection on World AIDS Day emphasizing the need for the City to allocate revenue for HIV testing and treatment. The speaker expressed a call to action for increased city funding, noting that African Americans account for 62% of new HIV infections in St. Louis.
• Darren Jackson (Food City Co-founder): Spoke on the crisis of child hunger (1 in 3 children in the city lack access) and the 27-year life expectancy gap between Fairground Park and Webster Groves. He expressed full support for Resolution 166 as a path forward to transition from viewing communities as "needy" to "needed," urging the Board to act as servants rather than saviors.
• Alderwoman Keys (11th Ward): Expressed strong support for Food City and their work during the tornado response, advocating for the adoption of the resolution.
• Alderwoman Boyd (1st Ward): Expressed a protest position against the earnings tax renewal (Board Bill 100) while acknowledging its necessity. She stated she will vote "No" because the tax system allows exceptions for the wealthy and large corporations, calling the administration of the tax unfair and a failure to hold all payers accountable.
• Alderwoman Keys (1st Ward): Expressed strong opposition to Board Bill 88 (election code), characterizing it as a "backdoor" attempt to clean up poorly written Propositions D and S. She argued the bill does not address the root causes of the election mess and threatens to reduce representation.
• Alderwoman Velasquez (6th Ward): Expressed support for clean up of outdated election code language but criticized the Board of Elections for being "often political" and wrong, citing historical grievances.
• Alderwoman Clark Hubbard (10th Ward): Stated she would vote "Present" on Board Bill 108 (HUD funds) because she wished to have a chance to vote "Present" rather than being forced to the consent calendar where she assumed a "Yes" vote was being made without full deliberation on the urgency of the situation.
• Alderwoman Boyd (1st Ward): Expressed a "Present" vote on Resolution 193 regarding the Sheriff's appointment, stating she requires more information and wishes to hire outside counsel for the Board rather than rely on the City Counselor who represents the Mayor.

Discussion Items

• Resolution 166 (Right to Food): Sponsored by Alderwoman Velasquez, this resolution affirms food access as a human right and commits the city to coordinating across departments. It was adopted unanimously after discussions on food waste (667,000 tons annually) and systemic inequality.
• Board Bill 100 (Earnings Tax Renewal): Proposed to renew the 1% earnings tax for a five-year term. The Alderman from the 2nd Ward and Alderwoman from the 8th Ward argued the tax provides over one-third of the general revenue fund supporting police, fire, and infrastructure. The debate focused on the fairness of the tax structure versus the need for stability.
• Board Bill 88 (Election Code Updates): A non-debatable motion was made to perfect the bill, which clarifies filing fees, removes references to non-existent state statutes, and aligns the code with nonpartisan approval voting. Alderman from the 4th Ward and Alderman from the 14th Ward expressed strong opposition, labeling the legislation a mistake that protects a "dictatorship" and fails to hold sponsors of Proposition D accountable.
• Board Bill 108 (HUD CDBG Funds): Approved to authorize the mayor to execute agreements for 2026 Community Development Block Grants and related funds. Discussions highlighted the critical need for housing funds following the tornado and inflation, though concerns were raised about the speed of fund distribution to landlords.
• Resolution 193 (Sheriff's Office Vacancy): Introduced to direct the Board of Aldermen to participate in the process of filling a permanent Sheriff vacancy. It was amended to explicitly state the Board's intention to intervene in the ongoing legal case and hire independent counsel. The debate centered on the legal authority of the Board versus the Mayor and potential conflicts of interest with the City Counselor's office.

Key Outcomes

• Resolution 166: Adopted unanimously. The Board commits to advancing citywide food and nutrition security and coordinates across departments.
• Board Bill 100: Perfecting motion sustained (14 Aye, 1 No). The earnings tax renewal question will be placed on the 2026 ballot. Alderwoman Keys voted No as a protest against tax loopholes.
• Board Bill 88: Perfecting motion sustained (12 Aye, 2 No, 1 Present). The election code updates were approved, with Alderwoman Boyd and Alderwoman Keys voting No.
• Board Bill 108: Perfecting motion sustained (13 Aye, 2 Present). The HUD funding authorization is secured.
• Resolution 193: Adopted as amended (14 Aye, 1 No). The Board affirmed its right to intervene in the Sheriff vacancy litigation and intends to hire independent counsel.
• Adjournment: The Board adjourned until Friday, December 12, 2025, at 10:00 AM.
• Moment of Silence: Observed for former Mayor James F. Conway.