The Treasurer supervises two main functions:

• The Treasurer’s Office with 10 employees; deposits city receipts, is responsible for its bank accounts, issues payroll checks, invests city funds, etc.; and
• The Parking Division. As "Supervisor of Parking" with 135 employees, the Treasurer oversees: 1. parking facilities, 2. parking meters, and 3. parking tickets & fines.

Change is needed, in part, because:

• The Parking Division spends $8 on garages and lots for every $7 in revenue they generate.
• This deficit is covered by parking meter and parking ticket income, leading to meter enforcement until 7 p.m., and on Saturdays.
• It usually pays late a substantial part of the amounts it owes St. Louis City's General Fund each year.
• Since 1992, in spite of the garages/lots, downtown office space has dropped,
• The downtown office space vacancy rate has not improved, and
• Jobs located in the city have continued to drop.

These problems are not public knowledge because almost no information about the performance of the Treasurer's Office/Parking Division is made available.

When I'm elected, the Treasurer's office will:

• Become a model for transparent government. I will post on the Treasurer's Web site, decisions, requests for proposals, contract awards, and financial reports of the Treasurer's Office and Parking Division. This will allow people to access information easily, and at any time. Note: The reports which I've been able to obtain are posted on this web site.   More info.

• Maximize the city’s return on its accounts, investments, and public parking facilities, and meet or exceed public accounting, fiduciary, and investment standards. I will implement regular review of the performance of each parking facility and investment.  This will be made possible by starting to track expenses (below). More info

When I'm elected, the Parking Division will:

• Begin tracking and reporting expenses and debt service, for each garage and parking lot and other parking system components. The current Treasurer/Parking Division tracks only revenue, but not expenses, for each parking facility. Thus they cannot be sure which parking garages & lots are making or losing money. Expenses are currently only totaled by type for the whole division (i.e. all personnel services, contractual services, etc.). More info

• Contribute more to the city’s general fund, and pay it on time. I will work to change the method used to calculate the transfer to the city, to a percent of gross receipts, the method used by the Water Division and Airport which contribute much more to the general fund. This change would double the Parking Division's transfer to the city, to restore some city services which have been cut. I will investigate the reasons for late payments of transfers to the city's general fund, and make appropriate changes.

• Support business and employment growth in all parts of the city. Parking assistance is important in downtown, the Central West End, South Grand, and in other areas of the city. Parking meters can help, or hurt, business patronage and employment. Meters encourage turnover where on-street parking, and lots, are inadequate. But meters, with 7 p.m. and Saturday enforcement, or where they are not needed, may drive customers away to suburban competitors with free parking and a lower sales tax, and lead customers and employees to park on residential streets. I will work with businesses, residents, and city officials, to identify where meters and lots are needed, and agree on the hours & days of enforcement.

It is time to take a hard look at what is not working, and try some better ideas.

IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE.