ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - KMOX has obtained a copy of a letter sent to St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones and her staff by Alderwoman Cara Spencer, inviting them to March 10th's Budget and Public Employee Committee meeting.
The board wants to ask questions about the hiring freeze on non-essential employees implemented by the Mayor last week.
Alderwoman Spencer says the mayor has previously rejected an invitation to a meeting to discuss the earnings tax, citing the litigation it's under.
"Our goal [with the meeting] was not to talk about the legal aspects but to talk about what the city is doing to fill a potential budget hole." said Spencer.
When enacting the hiring freeze, Mayor Jones also cited the Board of Aldermen passing a bill making changes the the Firefighter pension.
Alderwoman Spencer calls the projected budgetary impact of that bill "speculation." Spencer tells KMOX she isn't sure what response she'll get from the Mayor's office, citing a lack of communication.
"This is the first time in my service to the city that I've seen this level of disconnect between the Board of Aldermen and the Mayor's office so I'm not really sure what to expect here." said Spencer.
In the letter, Alderwoman Spencer also requests directives shared with city departments in particular the Department of Personnel regarding the hiring freeze.
In response, Mayor Jones's Communication director Connor Kerrigan called Alderwoman Spencer's invitation insulting, saying "The Mayor's office has consistently and repeatedly communicated and provided materials to the Board regarding the threats our City's budget faces on multiple fronts."
Kerrigan included two letters sent by the Mayor's office discussing the impact the Firefighter pension bill has on the City's budget. He says they were told, "the alders "don't read" these letters."
Kerrigan also adds this week the city offered the Board of Aldermen and their staff an opportunity to be briefed about threats to the budget, including the State legislation impacting the earnings tax. Kerrigan says, "two briefing opportunities were provided. Alderwoman Spencer declined to participate in either."
The letter from Alderwoman Spencer to Mayor Jones:
Sean Malone
Click here to see the letters sent by the Mayor's office to the Alders about the Firefighter Pension Bill.
Sean Malone
Sean Malone
Sean Malone
Sean Malone
Sean Malone
