15thWardSTL.org

As regular readers of 15thWardSTL know, one of my main goals is to promote transparency and communication between elected officials and their constituents. I feel that a representative who embraces a variety of modes of public communication (mailings, web site, e-mail, door knocking, and public meetings) is better positioned to make decisions that reflect the best interests of the constituents.

Jeff Smith has a web site and blog that clearly outlines his positions on major issues. His web site is clearly updated frequently and had multiple means of contacting him directly, contacting the campaign, and of course donating. I have received phone calls and had campaign staff knock on my door twice. His most recent mailing, "If George Bush and Matt Blunt are for it, I'm probably against it," was disappointing. In a campaign not usually taken with cheap slogans, this post card was a low point. Though I agree with the sentiment, I think my IQ dropped five points just by reading it.

Even so, in the communication game, Jeff Smith has emerged as a clear winner.

Derio Gambaro's web site is much less complete than Smith's, but at least he has one. There is no e-mail address available. The only means of online "communication" was a volunteer form. It appeard to be created and maintained by a hired consultant, though the design and functionality were poor. His issues pages were bullet points of his past accomplishments and campaign promises. I look for a more developed thought process.

Amber Boykins does not appear to have campaign web site, or at least, I couldn't find it. The only e-mail address I could find was her official State Rep one. Her official page on the Missouri House web site gives some indication of her positions on various issues if you examine the bills she has sponsored, but I could not find actual position papers anywhere online.

Yaphett El-Amin's web site, supposedly found at http://team4elamin.com seems to be taken down - for the past three days, the only thing that appears is a blank white screen. Again, the only e-mail address I could find was her official State e-mail. [UPDATE: I was recently informed that El-Amin's web site can be found at http://elaminforsenate.com. There is a page on "Issues" that briefly covers her positions on some of the critical items facing the Missouri 4th. I did not receive a response to the e-mail I sent to her MO Rep e-mail address.]

Kenneth Jones doesn't appear to have a digital footprint to speak of.

Three days ago, I contacted four of the candidates for the Missouri 4th District by e-mail (Jones doesn't seem to have one) with a brief questionnaire on three issues of importance to the 15th Ward. Of the four candidates, only Jeff Smith's campaign responded.

15thWardSTL - South Grand is a successful multicultural business district. What specific initiatives would you champion to sustain and promote business development in neighborhood commercial districts such as this?

Jeff Smith - We need to use Tax Increment Financing to support difficult projects in areas that need the help, not as a giveaway to big developers. The South Tower TIF district is a good example of how this helpful—though often abused—legislative device may be used. As your State Senator, I will work to make sure that TIFs are used wisely to facilitate development in the urban core – not in places like O'Fallon and St. Peters.

15thWardSTL - Most people would agree that the St. Louis Public Schools are in turmoil right now. Would you support a state takeover of the district, or do you think the resolution must happen from within?

Jeff Smith - State takeover is not a legal option in the near-term. The resolution must happen from within, but with the input of educational leaders from across the metropolitan area. School Board members and other stakeholders must stop bickering and start coming up with practical solutions to the problems that plague our schools. We can't afford to lurch from one direction to another every year; we must set a long-range plan to improve achievement and stick to it. If education professionals from around the country think of SLPS as a place where infighting and petty grudges are the norm, then our district will never be able to attract the top-quality management we need.

15thWardSTL - Finally, good two-way communication is the key to effective representation. If elected, how will you ensure consistent communication with your constituents in the 15th Ward?

Jeff Smith - I have knocked every door in the 15th Ward during this campaign. I love the neighborhoods and the people, and I never go there and fail to learn something. The energy I have put into getting to know the people of the 15th Ward indicates the depth of my commitment to understand and represent every single person in the ward. That's why our campaign has focused on direct person-to-person contact. When I hire my staff as a Senator, the top requirement will be that they share my commitment to maintaining a connection with all the people of this district.

Based on this experience and my online research, I am convinced that Jeff Smith will be the most "accessible" candidate for those of us who prefer electronic communication. Because I agree with him on just about all his positions on major issues and the speed with which he responded to my questions, I will be voting for Jeff Smith in the Primary Election on August 8, 2006.