Way to go WaterhousE! Wow a landslide.

Yes, Dave is correct:
Waterhouse 926 (51%)
Bauer 485 (27%)
Barnes 405 (22%)
TOTAL: 1,816* (as opposed to the 1,250 who voted in the recall election)

*As predicted by Brian Wahby.

I'm not quite sure, and someone, preferably Bauer, please tell me if I'm wrong, but I THINK I saw Tom walking down Clayton around 11.30pm on Tuesday evening. It was kind of surreal. Perhaps I was seeing things since he had been on my mind for the past two weeks, but, man, did it look like him. Glasses, buzzed hair and all.

Ahhhh mistake. 2,150 voted in the recall. Not 1,250.

What a relief. Now that Waterhouse is elected, things can move on with the Drury hotel development.

Waterhouse can negotiate with Drury for the amount of tax abatement the development should receive and whether Drury should be required to build any new for sale housing in the ward, just like Bauer intended.

Uh oh... Is Waterhouse qualified to do these negotiations? Is tax abatement even necessary for Drury's project? How much? How will we know if Waterhouse is right?

Even though the development is in the 24th ward, tax abatement effects the entire city budget.

Why is this a ward level decision?

Did anyone see that Drury had donated to Barnes' campaign?

Uh oh. I guess that's bad news for Drury then. Maybe he thought if Barnes was elected he'd get both tax abatement and out of the deal to build new housing in the ward?

With Waterhouse in, I'm sure he'll put the squeeze on Drury. It's time for revenge! No tax abatement and he'll have to build replacement housing!

Unless of course Drury supported both Waterhouse *and* Barnes. Then he should be fine. It's all about loyalty.

Remind me again...why is this development stuff, especially the granting of financial incentives, a ward-level decision? No potential for conflict or abuse there, is there?

The ability to use these incentives is not just a ward function. Even for tax abatement, which is generally regarded as an insufficient incentive for most projects, the abatement has to be approved by a commission, appointed by both mayors and aldermen. Another example is the use of TIF financing, an incentive increasingly used in the city, including downtown loft projects. Much of the specifics of the size of the incentive comes from negotiations between the developer and development officials, of which the alderman is just one. The degree of the incentive is project specific and requires consensus between the mayor's and the comptroller's staff because E & A approves the deal.

While aldermen have a great deal of control over development in their wards, the idea that they alone dictate the use of city incentives is inaccurate, particularly now with a deputy mayor for development that tends to be involved in discussions early on in the process.

Doesn't aldermanic courtesy trump all of that?

After all, isn't that the reason the Drury project was (further) delayed? So that terms could be finalized with the new alderman, and things could be sorted out with current neighborhood leaders?

Drury wanted out of the Bauer deal, as well as any requirement to build new homes, so the amount of tax abatement was up in the air.

Despite the systems in place, don't aldermen pretty much have veto power over development activity in their wards?

If Drury can't satisfy Waterhouse and his neighborhood leaders, isn't he in trouble?

Since this project is now years in a delay loop, doesn't it pretty well prove there is no orderly process to get things through the system? Politicians come first.

As a city resident, I don't think Drury should get any tax abatement to build a hotel at a prime location like Hampton and I-44. Will my testimony before one of these appointed commissions make a difference?

Elections for even-numbered wards are not too far out. I hope Bauer has learned enough to sit out that race.

As for Waterhouse, congrats on winning the episodic seat for such an irresolute constituency!

Outsider I don't think any Alderman would propose development in someone else's ward. That may be the Aldermanic Courtesy of which you speak.

No Worried,

Just the opposite...

No alderman would OPPOSE a development in another alderman's ward out of fear of being ostracized by the rest of the Board of Aldermen.

Instead, they all support each other's projects, if only by remaining silent.

Thus, there is no check and balance, except perhaps through a recall or general election.

If I don't live in the 24th ward, and I don't like plans for a project in the 24th ward, what voice do I have?

Again, I am against granting tax abatement for the Drury Hampton Avenue project. I believe Drury wants that location bad enough (they've been after it for years...), that they would build their hotel without tax abatement. But, as a ward outsider, what I think doesn't matter.

Drury is really at the mercy (or benefice?) of the alderman and villagers of the 24th ward?

And if not, why has this project been delayed until after this special election?

The bottom line?

Residents of other wards: your voice carries no weight on our turf.

Don't believe me? Ask yourself: when have any meetings about the proposed Drury project been offered to any other ward groups? Ever? Okay, maybe the 10th ward since its right across the street, but I doubt it.

The ironic thing is, people outside the 24th ward living south on Hampton will have more direct contact the new Drury Inn more than most residents of the 24th ward, especially all of those living north of Manchester.

What is Brian talking about when he says an "irresolute constituency?" Waterhouse received more than 50 percent of the vote in the 24th Ward... That's more than George W. Bush in the 2000 election. How much more resolute will voters be in a 3-way election? It was a resounding, decisive victory for Waterhouse.

Resounding victory? No doubt that Waterhouse won by a landslide, but so empowered by less than 1,000 votes. Having lower turnout than the recall is not necessarily a good way to start your aldermanic days.

I do sincerely hope Waterhouse proves me wrong, as a leader and not a follower of Corbett between now and 2007. And of course, the sooner, the better. Hopefully, Bill's negotiations with Drury will be his first proving ground.

Asking voters to vote twice in less than three months is alot to ask for and the fact that we got 10 percent to come out is pretty darn good.

I think Bill has a host of things to start working on as soon as he is sworn in. I think the Drury Inn problems is just the start of it.

I have faith in Bill to do right by the residents of the ward (which includes my wife and I ).

And there you have it.

Brian notes how Waterhouse's first big test will be his negotiations with big time developer Drury over the long-delayed construction of a new multi-million dollar hotel development in his ward.

Can someone explain his qualifications to negotiate such a high stakes real estate transaction, one involving potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in abated real estate taxes that might otherwise fund city schools and services?

Furthermore, can someone explain why Drury's project - and our progress as a city - should have to wait until all these ward-based wranglings are sorted out?

Think about it. A man goes from average Joe to basically representing the entire city of St. Louis in negotiating a multi-million dollar real estate deal.

As an outsider and non-24th ward resident, what comfort do I have knowing that he is capable of negotiating the best deal?

Yes, outsider, ain't democracy grand? You have to believe that a man with six generations in the same ward might know what is best for the people of his ward...and know with whom to consult while negotiating. Politicians have strengths and weaknesses. The good politicians recognize those weaknesses and surround themselves with people whom they trust to supplement them.

I voted for Waterhouse because he ran a positive campaign. He knocked on my door and I like what I heard. He understood that if tax abatements are dealt out willy nilly the neighbors of those who recieve the abatements will make up the difference when future assesments drive their values up. He will do just fine.

http://freeblognetwork.com/mortgagelifeinsurance/ Mortgage life insurance Mortgage life insurance leads Mortgage protection life insurance leads Insurance life mortgage online quote Online mortgage life insurance company