By TIM ROWDEN
Editor
Voters in Jefferson and Franklin counties voted April 3 to raise their taxes to support law enforcement.
After St. Louis City and County voters last year approved sales tax increases to raise police officer salaries, officials in Jefferson and Franklin counties said they were losing experienced officers to jurisdictions with higher pay.
In Jefferson County, Proposition P, which was recommend by the Jefferson County Labor Club and endorsed by the Greater St. Louis Labor Council, voters approved a 35-cent property tax increase to allow the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office to increase deputy pay and manpower. The only other tax the department benefits from is a half-cent sales tax, which was approved in 1988.
Jefferson County Sheriff Dave Marshak said the measure was needed to stem the flow of trained, quality officers leaving the department for better pay in other jurisdictions.
The current starting pay for a deputy in Jefferson County is $37,900 and in 10 years they max out at $46,000. To be competitive with other agencies, Marshak said the department needed to offer starting salaries of $50,000 to $52,000, topping out in the $70,000 range.
Franklin County voters approved a half-cent sales tax, also called Prop. P, recommended by the Franklin County Labor/Political Committee and endorsed by the Labor Council.
One-half of the Franklin County tax, or one-quarter cent, will go for salaries in the sheriff’s department and municipal police departments. The remainder will go toward constructing a new Franklin County jail and communication facilities.
Here’s a look at other Labor Council COPE-endorsed candidates and propositions from the April 3 election. Winners are marked in bold.
JEFFERSON COUNTY LABOR CLUB
City of Arnold
Ward 1 – EJ Fleischmann
Ward 2- Brian McArthur
Ward 3 – Vernon Sullivan
Ward 4 – Gary L. Plunk
Treasurer – Dan Kroupa
Crystal City
Mayor – Thomas V. Schilly
Ward 4 – Kenneth Duncan
City of Festus
Ward 1 – Gary Underwood
Ward 2 – Marcus Shepherd
City of Herculaneum
Ward 1 – Dennis H. Tesreau
City of Hillsboro
Ward 1 – Joseph Phillips
Ward 2 – Tim Polkinghorne
City of Pevely
Ward 1- Larry A. Coulson
Ward 2 – Ryan Tucker
Ward 3 – Eric F. Pieper
Ward 4 – Write in candidate William Brooks
Jefferson County 911 Dispatch
District 1 – Vernon Cherry
District 2 – Gary C. Wright
District 2 – Andy Sides
Rock Township Ambulance
Frank Kutilek, Jr
Mark Paul
Valle Ambulance
Larry E. Cain
Becky Lowry
Antonia Fire Protection District
Director – Michael Hennis
Antonia Fire Proposition Fire Safety – Passed
Fox C-6 School District
Jim Chellew
Chris Hastings
Dunklin R-V School District
Tammy Heidland
Cheryl Jo Aylesworth
Northwest R-1 School District
Terri Green
NORTH COUNTY LABOR CLUB
City of Bellefontaine Neighbors
Alderperson Ward 1 – Shirley D. Paro
Alderperson Ward 2 – Scott A. Schultz
City of Black Jack
Councilmember Ward 3 – Arnold Hinkle
City of Ferguson
Councilmember Ward 1 – Ella Jones
Councilmember Ward 2 – Laverne Mitchom
City of Florissant
Councilmember Ward 1 – Colleen Callahan
Councilmember Ward 3 – Joseph Eagan
Councilmember Ward 5 – Keith Schildroth
Councilmember Ward 7 – Jackie Bond Pagano
Councilmember Ward 9 – Tommy Slam
City of Hazelwood
Mayor – Matthew G. Robinson
City of Jennings
Councilmember Ward 1 – Allan Stichnote
City of Maryland Heights
Mayor – Mike Moeller
Councilmember Ward 2 – Kimberly (Kim) Baker
Councilmember Ward 4 – James E. (Jimmy) Carver
Ferguson R-2 School District
Director – Scott Ebert
Director – Courtney Graves
Hazelwood School District
Director – Richard (Rich) A. Roberts
Director – Desiree D. Whitlock
St. Louis Community College
Trustee, Sub District 1 – Lonetta M. Oliver
Metro-North Fire Protection District
Director – Louis F. Schnur
Ferguson Library District Proposition L – Passed
ROCKWOOD LABOR CLUB
City of Eureka
Alderman Ward 1 – Robert Berry
Alderman Ward 2 – Bryan Kiefer
Proposition E (1/2-cent sales tax increase) – Passed
City of Pacific
Alderman Ward 2 – Herb Adams
Fenton Fire District
Proposition F ($25 million bond issue) – Passed
SOUTH COUNTY LABOR CLUB
Kirkwood School District
Board member – Angie Bernardi
Board member – Greg Williams
Mehlville School District
Board member – Lisa Messmer
Board member – Ronald J. Fedorchak
TRI-COUNTY LABOR CLUB
City of Troy
Mayor – Mark Cross
City of Wentzville
Ward 2 – Arthur Bottorff
Ward 3 – Michael Hays
Cottleville Fire Protection District
Mike Reiter
St. Charles Co. Ambulance District #1
Mark Fenton
St. Charles Co. Ambulance District #2
James Cooke
Lake St. Louis Fire Protection District
Richard Thurwachter
Lincoln Co. Ambulance Dist. #2
Jeanine Key
Lincoln Co. Fire Protection Dist. #1
Kathy Kitchen
O’Fallon Fire Protection District
Matt Gober
Wentzville Fire Protection District
Seat A – Jennifer Houston
Seat C – Frank Grassmuck
Wright City Fire Protection District
Christopher Kellner
Proposition C – Failed
Proposition S – Failed
Public Water Supply District #2
John Cook
Fort Zumwalt R-II School District
Tommy George Jr.
Michael MacCormack
Francis Howell School District
Janet Stiglich
Chad Lange
Proposition Learn – Failed
Lincoln Co. R-IV School District
Jennifer Bryan
City of St. Charles R-VI School District
Virgil Beer Jr.
Wentzville School District
Natalie DeWeese
Brenda Schaper
St. Charles Community College District
Peggy Sherwin
Jean Poggemeier Ehlmann
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