St. Louis Currents

The Must-Have Resource

on the Region

Critical Perspectives on Key Issues

• More than two dozen authors examine where the region has been and where it’s going after a century of planning.

• This outstanding volume has over 400 pages of critical essays and insights by some of the region’s top leaders and scholars.

An Amazing Piece of History

• In 1907, St. Louis became the first city in the United States to develop a comprehensive city plan.

• A high-quality digital reproduction of the entire city plan is included, along with its historic photographs and illustrations.

• This rare volume is presented here in searchable PDF format. (191 pages)

The Proposed Public Buildings Group for Downtown St. Louis

Is the Mississippi River the Middle of the Region or the Edge?

Cultural Distinctions between Missouri and

Illinois

Andrew J. TheisingInstitute for Urban ResearchSouthern Illinois University

Edwardsville

The RegionApproximately 900 units of government2.8 million people 1.1 million householdswww.stlrcga.org /x285.xml www.ewgateway.org/pdffiles/library/wws/wws06.pdf

Illinois: 25% of population45% of government

Missouri:75% of population55% of government

http://www.focus-stl.org/AboutUs/RegionWeServe.aspx

Missouri and Illinois Political Cultures

Eastern Missouri is Traditionalistic

• Interpersonal Relationships• Social Hierarchy• Status Quo

Illinois is Individualistic• Democracy as Marketplace• Laissez-faire politics• Struggle with Corruption

From the scholarship of

Daniel J. ElazarTemple University

American Federalism:

The View from the States (1966)

Missouri!

Interpersonal Relationships• A handshake means a lot• Leaders are accessible• “Where did you go to high

school?”• Family Rule is common

Family Rule!

ClayBlunt Carnahan

Social Hierarchy

• “those at the top of the social structure… take a special and dominant role” in decision-making

• Civic Progress, formally (the business group, not the punk band)

• Elite social circles, informally• Ties back to family rule—Slay,

Danforth, Taylor, Schlafly• Many small fiefdoms

Social Hierarchy

• The Reality of Racism– Race relations are difficult in Traditionalistic

states– Most southern states tend to be

Traditionalistic in political culture– Creeps into many discussions, analyses, and

debates

• While great progress has been made, there is much work to be done

• Southern Illinois shares Missouri’s traditionalistic streak—and the state has had three race riots (1909, 1917, and 1919)

Status Quo• Missouri Hancock

Amendment– Tax Expenditure Limitation

movement– Strips legislature of the power

to implement new taxes or tax increases

• Missouri lags in government spending per capita

• New programs are difficult to fund and implement, unless strong popular support exists

Illinois!

Democracy as Marketplace

• Lots of small government in Illinois

• Townships and Special Districts

• Many decision-makers• High degree of

bargaining (pluralism)

Laissez-Faire Government

• A history of “merging public and private prosperity” (Boorstin)

• Many examples of company towns– National City 1907– Roxana 1917– Monsanto 1926– Alorton 1944

• Lots of power pushed to the local level

Corruption

Anybody wanna buy a Senate seat?!?

Corruption

Governor Dan WalkerFraudulent LoansConvicted in 1987Sentenced to 7 Years

Governor Otto Kerner17 counts of briberyConvicted 1973Sentenced to 3 Years

Governor George Ryan22-count Indictment on Corruption

Convicted in 2006Sentenced to 6 Years

Governor Milorad“Rod” Blagojevich

Abuse of PowerImpeached and Convicted

by the State Legislature 2009Federal indictment 2009

Is it really that bad? No.

• Both Missouri and Illinois have political baggage, just like other states

• There are some excellent assets in the region

• St. Louis enjoys stability, a relatively low cost of living, and accessible institutions

• This is a region that has deep traditions and has preserved more of its past than other regions

What the people want…

• Governments that are comfortable…• Elected officials that are

approachable…• Change that is fully justified and

incrementally implemented…• Avoiding too much risk in abandoning

the familiar for the unknown…• A balance between keeping close what

should be nearby and joining forces when most would benefit from cooperation…

(From Terry Jones, 2000, Fragmented by Design)

The End!