Court upholds election for earnings tax
The Missouri Supreme Court has rejected a legal challenge to a law that requires residents in St. Louis and Kansas City to vote on their earnings tax every five years.
Two leaders in Kansas City challenged the voter-approved measure, arguing that it forces an election without providing adequate funding, and improperly amended Kansas City’s charter. The state’s high court unanimously rejected those arguments in an opinion released yesterday.
Voters in both Kansas City and St. Louis supported keeping their earnings tax in the first election required by the new law. It provides a good chunk of the revenue in both cities.
St. Louis attorney surrenders law license
The Missouri Supreme Court has suspended a St. Louis attorney who admitted to using money from a quasi-public insurance company to reimburse campaign contributions.
The US attorney’s office says Edward Griesedieck agreed to surrender his law license for 18 months as part of his plea agreement.
Griesedieck and former Democratic governor Roger Wilson both pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges this spring for their role in the campaign contribution scheme. Prosecutors say they used money from the Missouri Employers Mutual Insurance Company, where Wilson was CEO, to reimburse a five thousand dollar donation Griesedieck’s law firm made in 2009 to the state Democratic Party.
Both men are scheduled to be sentenced on Monday
St. Louis receives $600,000 to boost veteran employment
For the third year in a row the city of St. Louis and the St. Patrick Center have been awarded a federal grant for veteran job training.
The $600,000 grant focuses on homeless veterans. Last year, the funds helped 100 soldiers find work.
But the director of Human Services for the City of St. Louis, Bill Siedhoff, says there is still a stigma attached to hiring veterans.
"For some reason, there's this perception about veterans that has resulted in not the kind of willingness I hope people would have in terms of hiring veterans," he said.
The program falls under the city's Continuum of Care, which coordinates homeless services across a network of community partners.
Carpenter to undergo arm surgery, will not pitch this season
Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter is done for the season.
The 37-year-old hurler will undergo surgery later this month to relieve nerve pressure in his shoulder.
"We've tried since spring training to get this going and every time I try to come back unfortunately it just doesn't allow me to do that," Carpenter told the Associated Press. "To be honest with you, I wish I thought about this surgery a while back. If we did it in March or April, I'd be close to coming back now."
Carpenter was instrumental in the Cardinals' 11th World Series title, throwing twice on short rest, including the clinching Game 7. He says the heavy workload did not contribute to the arm problems that emerged in spring training.
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