April 5 General Election

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Willie Marshall:  A Voice for the People 

The Green Party of St. Louis/Gateway Green Alliance
announces Willie Marshall's candidacy for the office of
Mayor of the City of St. Louis in the April 2005 election.

Let's Get Slay Out!

Mayor Francis Slay claims that he is improving St. Louis. But the real agenda of Civic Progress and the Democratic Party is to attract high income people into St. Louis by driving out long time City residents and businesses. The Slay machine is destroying basic services that low income people need and squandering money on projects for those who are already well off economically.

1. Public schools. In 2003, the Slay machine handpicked a slate of four school board candidates headed by former Mayor Vince Schoemehl. After spending massive amounts of money to be elected, the slate proceeded to close schools, lay off school workers and eliminate transportation routes.
   
   
2. Police violence. St. Louis citizens are too often harassed, jailed, beaten, and even killed by police. The Democratic Party machine has done nothing to control this violence. After citizens proposed a Civilian Oversight Board, Slay tried to undermine it with a bogus Board that would have no effect.
   
   
3. Economic development. Eminent domain should only be used for the construction of public projects. But Francis Slay expanded eminent domain to help drive St. Louisans out of their homes and businesses. Slay is draining money from the City to greedy out of town developers.
   
   
4. Health. St. Louis has one of the worst lead epidemics in the US, with 55% of children poisoned in some African-American neighborhoods. The Slay administration has wasted money to deal with lead poisoning and uses children as lead detectors. In a March 4, 2004 editorial, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch criticized Slay's Health Department for "apathy" and "gross incompetence" when it failed to notify parents concerning their childrens' lead levels and lied about results of lead tests. The Slay machine did nothing to shut down the medical waste incinerator in Ward 2 except watch citizen groups do all the work. Slay's Health Department responded to the West Nile Virus scare by covering the city in pesticide poisons, the worst possible approach to dealing with mosquitoes.
   
   
5. Housing. Civic Progress and Francis Slay have encouraged massive shoddy construction of homes in the $200,000 plus range. They have ignored housing needs of low income residents and refused to let Reverend Rice use the old Federal Building as a homeless shelter.
   
   
6. Transportation. The Slay administration has no plans for a MetroLink through north St. Louis, has not opposed the elimination of bus routes, refuses to build bus shelter for those who must wait in the rain and snow, and has failed to actively involve minority contractors in the development of MetroLink.
   
   
7. Stadium construction. Ever since Vince Schoemehl closed Homer G. Phillips hospital, the Democratic Party has claimed that there is not enough money for public hospitals, public transportation and public schools. But Francis Slay found plenty of money when he violated the will of voters and wasted public money to build a private sports stadium.
   
   
8. Democracy vs. the "Home rule" fraud. In the November 2004 elections, Civic Progress and the Democratic Party machine tried to trick voters into supporting a plan to eliminate many City-wide offices and wards. St. Louis voters wisely rejected this scheme to reduce the voice of the people in City government. The Slay machine is responsible for the elimination of Ward 20 from north St. Louis and the draining of funds from the north side that went with it.
   
   
9. Biotechnology and biorepression. The Slay administration has given massive tax breaks to development of a biotechnology industry capable of funding itself. When environmentalists challenged the threat of this industry to human health and ecosystems in May 2003, the Slay machine misused police authority to silence criticism and suppress dissent.
   
   
10. War. The Slay machine has not given any moral authority to speak out against the war in Iraq so that billions of tax dollars can be redirected to rebuilding US cities, including St. Louis.

Implement the Marshall Plan to Rebuild St. Louis!

The Marshall Plan aims to meet the needs of all City residents. St. Louis can be a great city if it stops cutting services for low income people and dedicates itself to good schools, health care, housing, and transportation for all citizens. There is plenty of money available if we redirect it from funds squandered on sports stadiums, given to out-of-town developers, and wasted on the war in Iraq.

1. Public schools. The Marshall Plan would open closed schools and encourage their evening use as community centers, rehire school staff, re-establish transportation routes, ensure St. Louis teachers have the same right to strike as do Illinois teachers, increase teachers' salaries, decrease class size, and have a curriculum that teaches children about their history and culture.
   
   
2. Police violence. The Marshall Plan calls for passage of the Kennedy Bill which would establish a Civilian Oversight Board with (a) the right to conduct independent investigations, (b) subpoena power, and (c) elected members. Police personnel must reflect the ethnic composition of the City.
   
   
3. Economic development. The Marshall Plan says "No eminent domain for private gain!" The Marshall Plan would make sure that CDA money is used (a) for community development [not mall or plaza development], (b) by small businesses [not Walmart], (c) by City residents [not Ladue, Chicago, or New York]. The City should create a thriving business district on Martin Luther King Blvd.
   
   
4. Health. The Marshall Plan calls for holistic, preventative, stay-well methods being a focus of the Health Department. The City should declare a lead emergency which would (a) fully enforce current lead legislation, (b) test homes as a means of primary prevention, (c) publish a lead-free housing registry for each neighborhood, and (d) provide lead-free housing for currently poisoned children. The City should actively work to close down toxic facilities rather than silently encouraging them. The City should develop a serious mosquito control program based on natural predators.
   
   The Marshall Plan would make 24 hour emergency medical care available to those without insurance. The City should expand the number of clinics which serve low income people.
   
   
5. Housing. The Marshall Plan would encourage housing which is diverse economically and ethnically. The City should expand sheltered housing for the homeless and support their self-sufficiency.
   
   
6. Transportation. The Marshall Plan realizes that a MetroLink makes no sense unless it is connected to bus routes. The City should seek a MetroLink route from north to south St. Louis that links with other lines and expand bus routes, bus shelters, and bicycle lanes. All construction should have hiring which reflects the ethnic composition of the City.
   
   
7. Stadium construction. The Marshall Plan prohibits use of public money for private sports stadiums. Public money should go to public schools, public hospitals and public transportation.
   
   
8. Democracy vs. the "Home rule" fraud. The Marshall Plan would preserve all City-wide offices and 28 Aldermanic positions. The Green Party calls for elections based on instant runoff voting and proportional representation of 4 Alderpeople in each of 7 superwards, in order to ensure minority representation.
   
   
9. Biotechnology and biorepression. The Marshall Plan would eliminate tax giveaways to biotechnology development. When elected mayor, Willie Marshall will convene a special investigation to explore (a) the effects of genetic engineering on human health, the environment, and economic self-sufficiency, (b) the danger of release of biological organisms from the proposed SLU bioweapons lab, and (c) the collaboration between St. Louis police and private industry to suppress discussion of biodangers in May 2003.
   
   
10. War. After World War II, the US implemented the "Marshall Plan" by spending vast sums to rebuild Europe. When elected mayor, Willie Marshall will call a conference of mayors of US inner cities that are being destroyed by the diversion of money to Iraq. That money must be redirected to rebuilding US cities, including St. Louis. This is the new Marshall Plan.

For more information, call 314-385-6906.