ST. LOUIS 鈥 Mayor Tishaura O. Jones and Aldermanic President Lewis Reed met for about an hour Monday to try to cut a deal on the $153 million pandemic aid bill expected to come up Tuesday at the Board of Aldermen.
Aides to the two leaders said no agreement was reached but that negotiations would continue. 鈥淚t was a very professional, candid conversation,鈥 said Reed鈥檚 legislative director, Mary Goodman.
A key issue is Jones鈥 continued insistence that the board add $5 million to provide $500 cash payments to about 10,000 residents hurt by the pandemic.
鈥淗e needs more information鈥 on that idea, Goodman said after the Monday meeting, which was held in Jones鈥 City Hall office. She didn鈥檛 elaborate.
Reed has been critical of Jones鈥 proposal, complaining about 鈥渧ery loose guidelines鈥 on how to distribute the money and saying only a small percentage of city residents 鈥 about 10,000 鈥 would be helped.
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Although most of Jones鈥 $81.4 million in pandemic aid recommendations are in Reed鈥檚 bill, the direct payment plan is not.
鈥淪t. Louisans deserve financial security now more than ever,鈥 the mayor said at a news conference earlier Monday to promote the idea.
Mayoral spokesman Nick Dunne didn鈥檛 comment about the substance of Jones and Reed鈥檚 discussion later in the day on the direct-payment idea. But speaking generally, Dunne said the two sides were working toward an agreement.
鈥淛ust to have these conversations in person is something the mayor finds very important,鈥 Dunne said.
Reed鈥檚 $153 million bill also has significant additional spending tacked on by the aldermanic president, such as $33 million to jump-start development on four major north side streets and $5 million to add more money for police overtime pay.
Goodman said Jones proposed reducing the police overtime allocation to $2 million. Dunne didn鈥檛 comment on Goodman鈥檚 statement except to say 鈥渨e鈥檙e open to all possibilities.鈥
Reed also has proposed spending $500,000 to $1.25 million on gift cards to be used as an incentive to get people to agree to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Goodman on Monday said Reed and Alderman Shameem Clark-Hubbard, 26th Ward, are working on an amendment to offer Tuesday on that issue. As it stood Monday, Goodman said, their plan is to offer debit cards worth up to $100 that could be used as cash with no restrictions.
Meanwhile, Jones at her news conference said her administration has had 鈥渙ur attorneys and auditors take a look at what鈥檚 allowable and what鈥檚 not鈥 under the federal aid bill passed by Congress. She didn鈥檛 elaborate.
Reed鈥檚 $5 million allocation for police OT pay in the pandemic bill essentially replaces $4 million in police allocations removed at Jones鈥 request from the regular city budget for the fiscal year that began July 1. Reed had voted against that move.
Also speaking at Jones鈥 news conference were Nikki Rush, a fast-food worker, and Kamille Bolden, who helps teachers with special-needs students in the city public schools. Both said the $500 payments would be a big help.
Updated at 7:15 p.m.Mark Schlinkmann • 314-340-8265 @markschlinkmann on Twitter mschlinkmann@post-dispatch.com