Better Together's New City-County Merger Plan Removes Stenger As Metro Mayor

[Sherman A1]

Before Monday, St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger was slated to become the first “metro mayor” under a plan to merge St. Louis and St. Louis County — giving the Democratic official enormous power over the direction and decision making of a united region.

But after Better Together submitted a new petition to Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s office, Stenger won’t automatically get that post. One of the leaders of the city-county effort said the move is in response to criticism of having county officials being the initial leaders of the government — and not a federal subpoena of Stenger’s administration.

“I don’t think it goes to the individual,” said Better Together Executive Director Nancy Rice. “I think it goes to people wanting to vote earlier rather than later. So that’s what we’re doing.”

Detractors of the merger plan, though, are skeptical — given that changes were reported just hours after news of the Stenger subpoena became public. And others don’t feel the changes get at the heart of the issues with the Better Together proposal, including its impact on black political power and how statewide voters will decide whether a new government comes to city and county residents.

https://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/better-together-s-new-city-county-merger-plan-removes-stenger-metro-mayor