Control of St. Louis parking funds remains unclear – STLtoday.com

The city counselor’s office told the commission that a circuit judge’s 2018 order reducing the authority of City Treasurer Tishaura Jones is again in effect after the Missouri Supreme Court on Jan. 14 sent the case back to the lower court.

“Failure to adhere to the order could result in legal sanctions,” Deputy City Counselor Michael Garvin said in an email to parking commission members obtained by the Post-Dispatch. Garvin’s boss, City Counselor Julian Bush, declined to comment.

At issue in the court case is how much parking revenue Jones must send to the city general fund and the makeup of the parking commission.

The circuit court’s 2018 ruling invalidated two state laws, paving the way for a city ordinance limiting Jones’ authority that the Board of Aldermen passed on a contingency basis.

State law says up to 40 percent of parking revenue, after expenses, goes to the city general fund while the city ordinance requires 40 percent. 

But Jared Boyd, Jones’ top aide, said the treasurer’s office doesn’t necessarily agree with the city counselor’s opinion and is reviewing the situation.

The treasurer, an elected post independent of Mayor Lyda Krewson’s administration, oversees city parking garages, lots and meters.

The high court didn’t rule on the merits of the case but said it can’t consider Jones’ appeal at this point because Circuit Judge Michael Stelzer had yet to decide some issues raised by plaintiffs.

Under state law, the parking commission is made up of Jones; a Jones aide, parking meter director Carl Phillips; Jeffrey Boyd, the chairman of the aldermanic streets committee; Comptroller Darlene Green and city streets director Jamie Wilson — an appointee of Mayor Lyda Krewson.

The contingency ordinance passed by aldermen, which Garvin’s opinion said was now in effect, says the commission has only three members — Jones, Alderman Boyd and Wilson.

Because of the legal ambiguity, Jared Boyd, Jones’ chief of staff, suggested that any issues Thursday be approved by separate majorities of both the five members designated by state law and of the three outlined in the city ordinance.

As it turned out, the only issue that came up for a vote — several budget transfers — was approved without opposition.