St. Louis Comptroller Darlene Green responds to proposed charter changes

ST. LOUIS - (KMOX) For the first time we are hearing from St. Louis Comptroller Darlene Green regarding proposed changes the St. Louis Charter Commission has recommended.

The following is the press release from Monday evening:

The proposed charter changes to eliminate the independent elected comptroller and the Board of E&A will forever completely dismantle the strong financial structure of the city, weaken checks and balances, and eliminates transparency; thus, removing strong protection of city taxpayer’s dollars from corruption.

The city’s credit rating is at risk of being downgraded from an A-category credit as a consequence of the proposed charter changes. The city’s credit rating had not been an A+ credit rating in over 35 years when it was upgraded under my leadership in May of 2008. Strong financial management has long been a relevant component of the city’s A-category credit rating, and these proposed charter changes threatens to damage the city’s credit. Damaged credit increases borrowing costs.

The proposed charter changes offer no improvements to the city’s financial structure to protect taxpayer’s dollars. Instead, the proposed changes eliminate the Board of Estimate & Appointment (E&A) and its monthly meetings that are open to the public, giving way to closed door meetings, and removing transparency, and weakening checks and balances on city finances by removing the elected comptroller.

The public advocate charter change is not about protecting or supporting the city against corruption and abuse as is true of the current government structure that includes an elected comptroller who serves as an independent advocate for the people and watchdog over taxpayer dollars.

Together the Board of E&A, and an independent elected comptroller, provides for a layer of structural protection and accountability for local government finances. Accountability and transparency would be forever lost without both an independent elected comptroller and the E&A Board.

Again, the proposed charter changes to eliminate the independent elected comptroller and the Board of E&A will forever completely dismantle the strong financial structure of the city, weaken checks and balances, and eliminates transparency; thus, removing strong protection of city taxpayer’s dollars from corruption.