Building Inclusive
Democracy
The Problem:
Our city’s economic and political elites crowd the legislative agenda with TIFs and tax abatements while everyday educational, health, and housing tragedies go unaddressed. We need to return power to the people, which means reimagining broken institutions, and redesigning them to be truly democractic. That means a transparent budget process, independent redistricting process, updated ethics rules, and elections designed to ensure access and maximize turnout.
+ Democratize Budget Process
- Require all budget meetings, including meetings between the budget director and department heads, to be made public.
- Require aldermanic committees to hold hearings, including public question and comment, on the budgets of the departments within their jurisdiction.
- Ensure an open budgeting process that allows time for public review, input, and debate.
- Empower the Board of Aldermen to both add and remove line items from the city budget.
+ Participatory Budgeting
- Create a fully-resourced and supported participatory budgeting process through which St. Louisans can direct public resources to meet their needs.
- Establish an Office of Participatory Budgeting to facilitate community engagement and provide support to residents directing the allocation of funds in their communities.
- Allocate the City’s capital fund, between $25M and $40M each year for building projects, streets, parks, and more, through a participatory budgeting process, both at the ward level and citywide.
+ Expanding ID Access
- Implement a free, low-barrier municipal photo ID card program for STL City residents, regardless of immigration status.
+ Maximize Voter Participation
- Align City municipal elections with the national and statewide election calendar by moving primary elections to August and general elections to November.
- Expand availability of absentee and advance voting.
- Establish a program to publicly fund elections, either through a voucher, or small-donor matching system.
- Ensure robust and culturally competent voter education so that voters have the tools and resources they need to navigate the voting process.
- Protect the citizen initiative process to allow citizens to directly propose and pass legislation for issues we care about
- Implementation and enforcement of rules that allow people who are incarcerated in STL jails to register to vote and participate in elections
- Support the restoration of voting rights to people on probation or parole.
- Increase the accessibility of citywide voting centers and locations. Access considerations include ADA accessibility, proximity to public transit, and proximity to Black neighborhoods that face voter disenfranchisement.
Resource Guide
Community Resources: What is Prop D?, How Do I Vote?
Campaigns: WokeVoterSTL, People over Politics, STL Approves, Close the Workhouse (Participatory Budgeting), Reform STL, Election Protection MO
Anchor Organizations: Action St. Louis, Show Me Integrity, Missouri Voter Protection Coalition,Missouri Faith Voices, ArchCity Defenders, Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice, Empower Missouri, Roderick & Solange MacArthur Justice Center, Organization for Black Struggle, Dutchtown South Community Corporation
The People’s Plan. Building Our St. Louis. The People’s Plan. Building Our St. Louis. The People’s Plan. Building Our St. Louis.