>> Announcer: DONNYBROOK IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE MEMBERS OF THE NINE NETWORK.

>> HEY, THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR THIS EDITION OF DONNYBROOK.

THE SECOND FOR THIS YEAR, AND THE FIRST NOW THAT WE'RE KNOWN AS NINE PBS.

COME ON, EVERYBODY, SHOW YOUR NEW APPAREL.

YOU KNOW, WE WERE KNOWN AS THE NINE NETWORK OF PUBLIC MEDIA AND NOW YOU CAN JUST KNOW US AS NINE PBS, EMBRACING THAT GREAT BRAND THAT IS PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND HOW MANY YEARS NOW IN ST. LOUIS?

70?

WOW.

SO BEFORE THE PROGRAM IS OVER, WE'RE GOING TO TALK TO JASON HALL WHO'S THE CEO OF GREATER ST. LOUIS, INC. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HIS PLANS TO IMPROVE THE AREA, BUT FIRST, LET'S MEET THOSE ON THE PANEL STARTING WITH THE NEWS DIRECTOR FOR THE BIG FIVE 50 KTRS AND THE COHOST OF JENNIFER AND WENDY IN THE MORNING.

SHE'S WENDY WIESE.

ALONG WITH MR. BILL McCLELLAN FROM THE ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH.

RAY HARTMANN FROM 550 KTRS ALONG WITH THE ST. LOUIS AMERICAN AND RAW STORY.COM AND WE FINALLY MUZZLED HIM.

THANK GOODNESS FOR THAT MASK FROM NINE PBS AND EVERYONE KNOWS AND LOVES ALVIN REID AT 97.1 FM NEWS TALK.

OKAY, WHY DON'T WE START THIS PROGRAM WITH YOU, BILL McCLELLAN, BECAUSE SINCE WE SPOKE LAST WEEK, A NUMBER OF CORPORATIONS DECIDED TO SUSPEND DONATIONS TO JOSH HAWLEY IN PARTICULAR, AND TO DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS IN GENERAL AS IT TURNS OUT.

SO BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AMEREN, EDWARD JONES, HALLMARK CORPORATION IN KANSAS CITY, COMMERCE BANK SHARES, RYAN CAVE LAW FIRM IN ST. LOUIS, WALMART, GENERAL MOTORS, MASTER CARD, AT&T, INDIVIDUALS LIKE SAM FOX AND DAVID HUMPHREYS HAVE SAID THEY'RE NO LONGER CONTRIBUTES TO CANDIDATES.

IS THIS TEMPORARY OR WILL THIS BE LONG LASTING, BILL?

>> OH, TEMPORARY, 100% I'M SURE OF THAT.

MAYBE FOR CERTAIN POLITICIANS IT WILL BE LONG-TERM.

AGAIN, THEY MIGHT BE ANGRY AT HAWLEY AND NOT GIVE HIM MONEY, BUT THEY WANT THEIR VOICES HEARD, AND THE WAY YOU DO THAT IN AMERICAN POLITICS IS YOU GIVE MONEY TO PEOPLE AND PARTIES AND ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WHO RIGHT NOW ARE WITHHOLDING THEIR FINANCIAL DONATIONS, AS SOON AS THEY WANT SOMETHING, WHICH WILL BE PRETTY SOON, THEY WILL BE KNOCKING ON THE DOOR AND AN ENVELOPE IN THEIR HAND.

JUST TEMPORARY.

>> I THINK IT IS NOT TEMPORARY FOR JOSH HAWLEY AND TED CRUZ AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE RING LEADERS OF THIS, MO BROOKS.

I AGREE WITH BILL.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BAN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, BUT FOR JOSH HAWLEY, IN MISSOURI POLITICS, TO LOSE THE TRIFECTA IN ONE WEEK OF SAM FOX, DAVID HUMPHREYS, AND THE HALL FAMILY IN KANSAS CITY, WHICH I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH HOW BIG A DEAL THAT IS FOR REPUBLICANS, THAT IS A BAD WEEK AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING TEMPORARY ABOUT JOSH HAWLEY.

I THINK JOSH HAWLEY IS PROBABLY ON PINS AND NEEDLES BECAUSE -- >> WELL, I'M NOT ARGUING THAT IT'S NOT TEMPORARY FOR JOSH HAWLEY.

I JUST THOUGHT THE QUESTION WAS BROADER THAN THAT.

>> IT WAS.

I'M JUST SAYING I THINK ABOUT HAWLEY, IT'S PERMANENT.

I THINK HE'S IN -- >> I THINK WHAT IS SO FASCINATING, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE POLITICAL CAREERS OF JOSH HAWLEY AND ERIC GREITENS, JOSH HAWLEY WAS CONSIDERED TO BE THE LESS FLAMMABLE.

HE WAS THE MORE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, AND, YOU KNOW, THE LESSER TWO OF YOUNG FIRE BRAND UPSTARTS.

AND THAT'S WHY THIS IS JUST FRAUGHT WITH IRONY, AND I DO THINK THAT THESE CORPORATIONS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT FIVE AMERICANS WHO ARE NO LONGER HERE BECAUSE OF WHAT TRANSPIRED ON JANUARY 6th, I THINK THEY -- THEIR STOCKHOLDERS, THAT KIND OF THING IS TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY.

SO I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE SHORT-LIVED LIKE BILL SAID.

IT'S CERTAINLY NOT PERMANENT, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AN OVERNIGHT CURE.

>> WELL, OVERNIGHT IS A SHORT TIME AND FOUR YEARS IS A LONG TIME AND MY GUESS IS JOSH HAWLEY WILL FIND HIS WAY BACK INTO THE FINANCES OF SOME OF THOSE COMPANIES THAT HAVE DROPPED HIM FOR NOW.

MAYBE HE NOT TURNS OVER A NEW LEAF, BUT JUST ACTS DIFFERENTLY, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I -- I'M A DOUBTER.

I'M A DOUBTER THAT THIS HAS ANY LONG-TERM IMPACT.

I AM.

NOW, I THINK WHAT HAPPENED IN THE CAPITOL A WEEK AGO AND ALL, THAT THAT WILL, OKAY?

BUT THE FACT THAT WHEN IT COMES TIME TO DO I WANT A -- EVEN SOMEBODY MAYBE EVEN WORSE THAN JOSH HAWLEY TO BE ELECTED TO THAT OFFICE ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE OR, GOD FORBID, A DEMOCRAT, I THINK THAT MONEY COMES TRICKLING BACK.

>> I KNOW IT COULD BE WISHFUL THINKING, I THINK JOSH HAWLEY, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE OF THAT PICTURE, THE PICTURE WITH A FIST, HE'S GOING TO BE THIS IS HISTORY BOOKS AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AN ICONIC PICTURE AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT LOCALLY NOW.

THIS IS NATIONAL.

>> WAIT, LIKE -- >> HE IS THE FACE OF THAT RIOT IN A LOT OF WAYS BECAUSE OF THAT PHOTOGRAPH, AND I DON'T THINK -- AS I SAY, I THINK HE'LL GET KICKED OUT OF THE SENATE IF ANYTHING ELSE HAPPENS.

>> BUT RAY, YOU'VE BEEN IN JOURNALISM FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND OF ALL THE POLITICAL PHOTOS, THAT IS POSSIBLY THE MOST BENIGN BECAUSE HE'S JUST RAISING HIS HAND AND YOU DON'T SEE ANY THAEFT TRUMP PROTESTERS ALONG WITH HIM.

>> I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MANY -- >> CHARLIE, ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC PHOTOS EVER IS JOHN CARLOS, TOMMY SMITH, MEXICO CITY, 1968.

>> BUT THEY WERE CLEARING ON THAT OLYMPIC PODIUM.

THAT WAS ICONIC, I AGREE.

>> NO, WHAT I'M SAYING IS -- >> BUT HE WAS RAISING HIS FIST, CHARLIE.

THAT WAS NOT THE -- >> BUT HE COULD HAVE BEEN ANYWHERE.

OKAY, MAYBE IT'S A SILLY ARGUMENT, BUT I -- >> I THINK HE'S IN TROUBLE.

I AGREE WITH YOU THERE.

I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S THAT PHOTO THAT'S GOING TO DO HIM IN.

YOU MAY BE RIGHT.

YOU'VE BEEN IN PRINT MEDIA FOR YEARS.

WHAT ABOUT CORI BUSH?

I THOUGHT SHE WAS TOO INFLAMMATORY AT THIS TIME.

HER DEBUT SPEECH ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE, SHE CALLED THE PRESIDENT -- AND I'M NOT DEFENDING THE PRESIDENT IN ANY SINGLE WAY, BUT SHE CALLED HIP THE WHITE SUPREMACIST IN CHIEF.

DON'T YOU THINK IT'S TIME TO TONE DOWN THE RHETORIC?

>> GET USED TO CORI BUSH.

SHE SAYS WHAT SHE THINKS.

SHE'S BRINGING AMAZING VIGOR AND PASSION TO HER JOB.

SHE WANTS TO SPEAK FOR ST. LOUIS.

IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING CONTRAST TO ANNE WAGNER WHO LITERALLY -- FIGURATIVELY HID UNDER HER DESK AGAIN AT THE IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS WHERE SHE WASN'T WILLING EVEN TO SPEAK OUT EVEN THOUGH SHE'S GOT SOME SENIORITY THERE NOW AND OBVIOUSLY WASN'T GOING TO ONE OF THE TEN REPUBLICANS WITH THE PROFILE IN COURAGE ON DONALD TRUMP, EVEN THOUGH -- AND THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT ANNE WAGNER, NOT TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT TOO MUCH, IS THAT SHE'S -- SHE PUT OUT A PRESS RELEASE IN WHICH SHE MADE THE CASE FOR WHY YOU VOTE AGAINST DONALD TRUMP AND, YOU KNOW, CRITICIZED HIM, BUT DIDN'T HAVE THE GUTS TO DO IT.

IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING CONTRAST BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE OFFENDED, BUT I'M GLAD -- >> CHARLIE, I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF ANNE WAGNER.

I WROTE A COLUMN ABOUT HER THIS PAST SUNDAY AND I'M CRITICAL OF ANNE WAGNER, BUT TO SAY NOTHING IS SOMETIMES BETTER THAN TO SAY SOMETHING, AND I THINK THAT CORI BUSH, WHEN RAY SAYS, OH, GET USED TO HER, SHE SPEAKS WITH PASSION, YOU CAN SAY THAT ABOUT JOSH HAWLEY AND I'M SURE 87 MILLION PEOPLE DO.

I MEAN, I DON'T THINK CORI BUSH IS DOING US ANY FAVORS WHEN SHE SPEAKS INFLAMMATORY LANGUAGE.

YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN YOU'RE A FRESHMAN REPRESENTATIVE, IT WOULD BE NICE TO JUST KIND OF HOLD YOUR FIRE A LITTLE BIT AND STOP WITH THE NAME CALLING.

>> WELL, I WILL SAY THIS.

SHE TOUCHED A BUTTON IN ME.

THIS WHOLE THING WENT AWRY NATIONALLY IN MY EYES AND WHAT NOT AS CHARLOTTESVILLE, THAT WAIT A MINUTE, THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN THESE SUPREMACISTS AND ALL THAT AND DONALD TRUMP DIDN'T PUT IT DOWN.

SO THIS STATEMENT BY HER IS ONE THAT I'M WALKING THE FENCE ON.

I HEAR YOU.

I'VE SAID IN PAST WEEKS ON THE SHOW THAT JUST, YOU KNOW, HEY, DO IT RIGHT.

LET'S DO IT RIGHT.

I WILL SAY THIS, THOUGH.

IT'S THE SAME THING I WORRY ABOUT.

THIS IS CLOSE.

THAT WAS CLOSE, BUT I'LL GIVE HER THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.

BUT DON'T BE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT CONGRESSMAN.

BE THE ONE WHO ACTS WISELY.

I'M NOT CRITICIZING HER, BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, BOY, RIGHT NOW, MATCH, DYNAMITE -- MATCH, GASOLINE, THEY'RE CLOSE.

SO LET'S NOT -- >> WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE AND THE NATIONAL GUARD DESCENDING ON D.C. AND OBVIOUSLY THE CHATTER ABOUT INAUGURATION DAY, WHETHER IT'S IN EACH STATE CAPITAL OR IN OTHER NATION'S CAPITAL, THIS IS NOT THE TIME, AND CHARLIE SAID, YOU KNOW, THEY NEEDS TO WATCH THE RHETORIC.

I THINK THAT GOES FOR EVERYBODY ON ALL SIDES OF THIS.

>> I AGREE.

>> EVERYBODY.

>> I THINK SHE'S GOT, TO ME, I THOUGHT SHE WAS NOT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LINE WHEN SHE SAID DEFUND THE MILITARY.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS A BAD STATEMENT THAT SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE MADE.

IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, I THINK SHE'S SUBSTANTIVELY RIGHT, SO I'M FINE WITH IT.

>> AND JUST REAL QUICK, ANNE WAGNER WAS HIDING AND ALL THIS WAS GOING ON AND EVERYBODY CAN DO AS MUCH BRAVADO AS THEY WANT TO.

I STILL DEFER TO -- SHE'S A WOMAN, OKAY?

AND THERE ARE MEN THERE AND EVERYTHING, BUT I WILL NEVER -- LOOK, WHATEVER ANNE WAGNER Z I KNOW SHE WENT THROUGH SOMETHING I HAVE NEVER BEEN THROUGH IN MY LIFE, OKAY?

AND I CANNOT BE CRITICAL OF HER FOR THE ACTIONS, YOU KNOW, IN THAT BECAUSE SHE WAS THERE AND SO BASICALLY WHAT I'M SAYING IS I DON'T MEAN TO BE MEAN, BUT I'LL NEVER SAY SHE HID UNDER HER DESK OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

>> I DIDN'T MEAN THAT AS A -- >> BUT THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHETHER THESE LAWMAKERS HAVE FACED PHYSICAL THREATS.

YOU DON'T THINK THAT'S A POSSIBILITY?

>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.

>> THE REPUBLICANS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, I AGREE.

>> I WON'T SAY YOU'RE THE ONLY PERSON I KNOW WHO WANTS TO HEAR MORE FROM OUR REPRESENTATIVES IN WASHINGTON, D.C..

IF I DON'T HEAR ANOTHER SOUND BITE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, I'LL BE FINE.

ALVIN REID, I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE ST. LOUIS COUNTY COUNCIL WHO ARE PUTTING THE DIS IN DISARRAY.

FOR OUR VIEWERS WHO ARE FOLLOWING THIS, IT'S CAN BE DEEP IN THE WEEDS, BUT THERE WAS A COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING IN 2020 THAT SAID THE FIRST MEETING IN 2021, THEY ELECT A NEW CHAIR.

SO THEY DID SO WITH THE LAME DUCK REPRESENTATIVE, AND THE WOMAN WHO BEAT HER AT THE POLLS, SHALL LON THAT WEB DIDN'T JOIN THE COUNTY COUNCIL UNTIL THE SECOND MEETING.

SHE DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO VOTE ON THE LEADERSHIP FOR THIS YEAR.

I'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH A BRAZEN FOUR GRAB.

I BLAME LISA CLANCY FOR THIS.

WHO DO YOU THINK IS RESPONSIBLE?

>> THIS GOES BACK.

THIS INDIVIDUAL ONE IS ON LISA CLANCY AND SORE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS, BUT I GO BACK.

LISTEN, I RESPECT AND APPRECIATE THE FORMER CHIEF OF POLICE TIM FITCH.

I SAID HE'S GOING TO RUN FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE, I WAS WRONG.

HE RAN FOR, YOU KNOW, COUNTY COUNCIL, SO I WAS KIND OF RIGHT.

AND I REALLY LIKE HIM, BUT I THINK BACK WHEN HE -- JUST OVER THE LAST, LIKE, FOUR MONTHS, FIVE MONTHS, HE'S KIND OF BEEN LIKE A LAGGER HEAD AND HE'S BEEN LIKE A MITCH McCONNELL OF THE LIKE COUNTY COUNCIL.

AND I THINK, I THINK HE HAD THE PRESENCE AND THE WHEREWITHAL THAT WE COULD HAVE AVOIDED ALL THIS, SO I KIND OF BLAME HIM FIRST.

I ABSOLUTELY DO.

>> WHAT ABOUT BETH ORWICK'S CULPABILITY HERE.

I THOUGHT LISA CLANCY SAID, ACCORDING TO ALL THE STORIES WE READ, IT WAS LISA CLANCY WITH BETH ORWICK'S BLESSING.

IF SHE'S DISPENSING LEGAL ADVICE, WHAT IS LISA CLANCY TO DO?

>> LET'S MOVE ON WITH OUR NEXT TOPIC.

WENDY WIESE, PRICE WAS A MEMBER OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE, REPRESENTED ST. LOUIS IN THE HOUSE, HAS BEEN CENSURED BY COLLEAGUES AFTER WOMP HIS ASSOCIATES SAYS HE CLAIMED IN A PERSONAL CONVERSATION WITH HER THAT HE HAD SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH AN INTERN.

THE INTERN IS NOT DISCUSSING IT AND HASN'T SAID THAT THAT IS THE FACT, BUT THERE WAS A SPECIAL PANEL THAT LOOKED INTO THIS IN DECEMBER AND IN AN EIGHT-PAGE REPORT, CONCLUDED THAT ALTHOUGH REPRESENTATIVE PRICE CLAIMED NOT TO HAVE HAD NECESSITY CONTACT OR PHONE NUMBERS WITH THE INTERN, IN FACT HE DID HAVE HER PHONE NUMBER AND HAD MADE PHONE CALLS, INCLUDING ONE THAT LASTED 42 MINUTES.

WITH THAT EVIDENCE, HIS COLLEAGUES DECIDED TO CENSURE HIM, ALTHOUGH SOME THOUGHT HE SHOULD HAVE EXPELLED.

WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHT?

>> IF THIS HAD BEEN A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAD A PREDATORY LEGISLATOR WHO CORNERED AN INTERN AND COMPROMISED EVERYTHING, I THINK THAT'S ONE THING.

THE FACT THAT THE VERY NEXT DAY AFTER THIS HAPPENED, HE TOLD HIS AID ABOUT WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED, THE FACT THAT, ACCORDING TO THAT COMMITTEE THAT YOU SPOKE ABOUT, THEY WERE EQUAL -- IN EQUAL NUMBER, DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS THOUGHT THAT CENSURE WAS FINE OVER EXPULSION, THE FACT THAT BOTH THE INTERN AND WILEY PRICE INITIATED THE PHONE CALLS AFTER THE INCIDENT, AND ONE OF THOSE PHONE CALLS LASTED 46 MINUTES, AND HE VERY -- HE SAID, I PANICKED, I LIED, I'M EMBARRASSED TO HAVE PUT US IN THIS POSITION.

THE CENSURE IS GOING TO COST HIM $22,500 FOR THE INVESTIGATION THAT HAS OCCURRED.

I SAY CENSURE IS FINE.

HE OBVIOUSLY IS NOT GOING TO BE ON ANY COMMITTEES.

THAT'S PART OF THE CENSURE AND HE WON'T BE ALLOWED TO HAVE AN INTERN.

SO I THINK A CENSURE IS FINE IN THIS CASE.

>> YOU KNOW, I'LL GO ALONG WITH THAT.

THE ONLY ARGUMENT I'D LIKE WITH YOU, WENDY, IS WHEN YOU SAY NOT PREDATORY.

WHEN YOU'RE THE LEGISLATOR AND SHE'S THE INTERN, I MEAN, THAT'S -- >> GOOD POINT.

>> -- AN UNEQUAL RELATIONSHIP.

THAT'S LIKE SAYING MONICA LEWINSKY WAS OF AGE.

WELL, SHE WAS, BUT BILL CLINTON WAS THE PRESIDENT AND I KNOW WILEY PRICE JR.'S DAD AND I LIKE HIM AND I'M SORRY TO SEE ALL THIS HAPPEN, BUT, YOU KNOW, LET'S NOT MINIMIZE IT IS ALL I'M SAYING.

>> AND I DON'T MEAN TO MINIMIZE IT.

WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS THE LENGTH OF THE CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM SUGGESTS THAT -- I DON'T KNOW THE AGE OF THE INTERN.

DOES ANYBODY ON THE PANEL KNOW THE AGE OF THE INTERN?

>> I DO NOT.

>> I HAVE NOT HEARD OR READ IT ANYWHERE.

BUT YEAH I -- YOU'RE RIGHT, BILL, IN TERMS OF THE POWER STRUCTURE INVOLVED, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

I'M JUST SAYING IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE -- >> OKAY.

>> GO AHEAD.

>> I THINK THE PUNISHMENT FIT'S THE CRIME.

I MEAN, BASICALLY WHAT WENDY IS SAYING.

AND I KNOW IT'S -- I JUST DO.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY NEED TO -- YOU KNOW, THIS IS, TO ME, EXPULSION HAS TO BE RESERVED FOR SOMETHING PRETTY OVER THE TOP, AND I DON'T THINK THIS KIND OF OFFENSE -- AND ALL POLITICIANS LIE WHEN THEY'RE PINNED DOWN ON ISSUES.

IN FACT, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S CAUSE FOR EXPULSION.

I THINK FINANCIAL CRIMES IN THE LEGISLATURE, I THINK THOSE KINDS OF THINGS MAYBE, BUT NOT THIS ONE.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HE NEEDS TO BE -- HE DESERVED TO BE, I MEAN, THERE'S NO QUESTION.

>> THE INTERNSHIP IS SUPPOSED TO BE A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS, NOT FOR ROMPING WITH LAWMAKERS, AND I AGREE THAT -- WELL, I WOULD SAY, I DON'T KNOW IF THE EVIDENCE IS THERE WITHOUT THE COOPERATION OF THE INTERN, BUT WE DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY PRESSURE ON HER TO BE SILENT BECAUSE THE AID TO REPRESENTATIVE PRICE DID INDICATE THAT SHE WAS THREATENED WHEN SHE -- WHEN SHE MENTIONED SHE WAS GOING TO GO PUBLIC WITH THIS.

SO MAYBE IT'S ONE OF THOSE CASES LIKE MANY OF THESE WHERE WE'LL NEVER HAVE ALL THE APPSES, BUT WE DO KNOW -- ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT WE DO KNOW THERE ARE RULES IN THE HOUSE NOW AFTER JOHN DEAL WAS THIS TROUBLE FOR THIS, YOU CAN'T HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR INTERNS.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, YOU PUT YOURSELF IN THAT SITUATION, YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITH WHATEVER THE JUDGMENT IS, BE IT YOUR PEERS FROM ST. LOUIS OR THE ENTIRE LEGISLATIVE BODY.

>> HEY, BILL McCLELLAN, I WANT TO ASK YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE A NATIVE OF ILLINOIS, THE LAND OF LINCOLN, MIKE MADIGAN HOUSE SPEAKER SINCE SINCE 1963, HE REAL WIELDED SOME INFLUENCE, SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL LAWMAKERS IN AMERICA, BUT I THINK UNDER HIS TENURE ILLINOIS HAS GONE FROM A STATE WITH SOME OF THE HIGHEST RATINGS BY MOODY'S AND S&P TO ONE OF THE LOWEST AND IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, 150,000 PEOPLE HAVE MOVED OUT, 80,000 IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS.

THE STATE IS A FINANCIAL BACK KET CASE AND I THINK A LOT OF IS HIS DOING BECAUSE HE SPENT TOO MUCH MONEY.

WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THIS?

>> HE WAS A DICTATOR.

IT'S LIKE MIKE MADIGAN, MEET LISA CLANCY.

I THINK LISA PROBABLY LOOKS UP TO MIKE MADIGAN.

I DON'T BLAME HIM FOR ALL THE PROBLEMS OF THE STATE, AND PEOPLE MOVING OUT OF ILLINOIS, I THINK, HAS MORE TO DO WITH THE WEATHER THAN MIKE MADIGAN.

THE STATE HAS A HUGE PENSION PROBLEM, BUT AS MR. REED HAS OFTEN SAID, THEY'RE TRYING TO GAIN MONEY AND I TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO IN REED.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

NOW, SHORTLY HERE, WE'LL GET THE BOTTOM LINE ON THE RECREATIONAL AND MEDICINAL MARIJUANA AND IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE THREE TIMES WHAT THEY EXPECTED AND GOING TO GO UP.

GAMBLING IS ABOUT TO TAKE OVER TOO.

YOU'VE GOT ONE THING THAT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE, AND I DON'T CARE WHAT PEOPLE DOWN STATE SAY ABOUT IT.

YOU'VE GOT CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, OKAY?

ILLINOIS IS FINE.

AND IF YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT A STATE THAT'S IN TROUBLE, IT'S OURS, OKAY?

SO I'M NOT GOING TO -- I CAN'T LOOK AND SAY ANY STATE IS MORE FINANCIALLY, MORALLY, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, MORE BANKRUPT THAN MISSOURI IS RIGHT NOW.

SO I'M GOOD WITH ILLINOIS.

I AM.

>> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT, ALVIN.

>> NOW REAL QUICK, MADIGAN NEEDS TO GO.

NATIONALLY DEMOCRATS, LOOK AROUND, THE WINDS ARE CHANGING.

GET YOUNGER, GET SMARTER, GET LESS DICTATORIADICTATORIAL.

SO YEAH, GOODBYE, MIKE MADIGAN, YOUR DAYS ARE OVER.

>> I AGREE WITH ALVIN EXCEPT I TAKE ISSUE WITH LISA CLANCY.

I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.

IT'S LONG OVERDUE.

BEFORE YOU START TRASHING ILLINOIS, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SERVICES ILLINOIS RESIDENTS GET VERSUS WHAT THEY GET IN MISSOURI.

>> I THOUGHT HE WAS JUST DEFENDING HIS CAMPAIGN FOR HOUSE SPEAKER.

>> IT'S POB HE'S -- >> VOTE HIM OUT.

>> AND I THINK THESE -- >> AND THEY VERY WELL -- IF ANYBODY HAS NINE LIVES, IT'S MICHAEL MADIGAN.

>> THEY GOT A NEW PERSON ALREADY.

>> AND WENDY, THE LIST OF FAVORS OWED TO HIM AND THAT HE OWES PEOPLE WILL PROBABLY TAKE TWO WEEKS TO FILTER OUT, YOU KNOW, SO IT WILL BE A LITTLE BIT, BUT HE'S GONE.

>> WELL, I DISAGREE.

I DON'T THINK MISSOURI IS LOSING THE POPULATION THAT ILLINOIS IS.

I'M NOT -- >> WE DON'T HAVE IT.

>> WE DON'T HAVE A POPULATION.

>> WE DON'T HAVE THE POPULATION.

>> AS A PERCENTAGE THEY'RE NOT EITHER, NOR ARE THEY IN THE FINANCIAL TROUBLE THAT ILLINOIS IS.

WHEN YOU HAVE $135 BILLION PENSION LIABILITY BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T SAY NO TO ANY OF THE PUBLIC UNIONS, YOU -- >> IN ILLINOIS -- >> POLICEMEN AND TEACHERS, CHARLIE.

THAT'S WHERE THIS IS.

SO YOU SAY PUBLIC UNIONS, YOU'RE TRYING TO -- >> WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT OFFICERS AND EVERYBODY ELSE WHO WORKS FOR THE STATE AND THEY PROVIDED THIS CAMPAIGN WAR CHEST FOR THE HOUSE SPEAKER FOR ALL THOSE YEARS, FOR 40 YEARS, BILL.

>> IF ILLINOIS TRIED TO GET AN NFL TEAM IN SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, THEY WOULD HAVE A BETTER CHANCE THAN ST. LOUIS GETTING ANOTHER ONE, OKAY?

LOOK, THE WORLD LOOKS AT ILLINOIS AND CHICAGO AS A PLACE THEY WANT TO BE.

THAT IS NOT TRUE FOR MISSOURI, SO JUST -- >> I DON'T THINK SO, ALVIN.

>> OKAY.

>> CHICAGO IS LOSING POPULATION.

>> COME ON NOW.

ALL RIGHT.

>> LET ME ASK -- >> THEY'RE LOSING POPULATION IN TRUMP TOWER.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> RAY, I'M GOING TO MOVE TO YOU.

THIS IS AN UNUSUAL STORY, BUT IT'S GOT A COUPLE OF ANGLES.

NUMBER ONE, THERE WAS A DISPATCHER FOR ST. LOUIS COUNTY POLICE AND HE USED THE N-WORD.

HE ACTUALLY USED MORE THAN THE N-WORD, AND HE HAS BEEN SUSPENDED, AT LEAST TEMPORARILY, AT LEAST TEMPORARILY.

TURNS OUT THAT HE'S THE BROTHER-IN-LAW OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE, MARY BARTON, RIGHT?

SO THAT'S ONE ANGLE.

NOW, THE NEXT ANGLE IS THAT THE POLICE LIEUTENANT WHO'S IN CHARGE OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, KEITH WILDHABER, SPOKE OUT ABOUT IT AND HE BASICALLY SAID THAT ST. LOUIS COUNTY POLICE HAVE TO GET A GRIP ON THEIR SYSTEMIC RACISM AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, AND THEN HE ALLEGEDLY WAS CHASTISED BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE OF THE COUNTY SAYING HE SHOULD NOT SPEAK OUT EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE OTHER POLICE LIKE LIEUTENANT TROY DOYLE WHO SPEAKS OUT ALL THE TIME ON TWITTER AND, IN FACT, COMMENTED ON THIS VERY CASE AND HE WASN'T APPARENTLY CHASTISED.

I GUESS A COUNTY LIKE ANY ORGANIZATION CAN TELL ITS EMPLOYEES THEY HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT SPEAKING TO THE PUBLIC.

I DON'T KNOW.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS?

WHO'S IN THE RIGHT AND WHO'S IN THE WRONG?

>> THE PERSON WHO LOOKS THE BEST IN THE STORY, KEITH WILDHABER.

GOOD FOR HIM.

HE WAS OPPOSED BY A LOT OF PEOPLE OF COLOR WHEN THEY MADE HIM THE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER AND HE SAID THE RIGHT THING AT THE RIGHT TIME.

I HAVE TO TELL YOU, CHIEF MARY BARTON, THE ST. LOUIS COUNTY POLICE BOARD HAS TO LOOK AT WHAT THEY'VE GOT THERE.

I DON'T CARE THAT IT'S A BROTHER-IN-LAW.

THAT'S JUST BAD LUCK, BUT THE KEY ELEMENTS HERE THAT INVOLVE THE CHIEF ARE, A, SHE DID NOT DISCLOSE AND I THINK TONY MESSENGER MADE THE POINT, SHE DID NOT DISCLOSE THAT IT WAS HER BROTHER-IN-LAW UNTIL THE PRESS D WHICH IS A BIG PROBLEM.

AND THE SECOND IS, APPARENTLY, ACCORDING TO ONE STORY I SAW, SHE TOLD KEITH WILDHABER WHOSE JOB IT IS TO TALK TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT STUFF LIKE THIS, TO NOT TALK TO THE PUBLIC.

AND -- >> ARE YOU SURE IT'S HIS JOB TO TALK TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT THIS?

>> YES.

IT SHOULD BE.

HE'S THE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER.

IF HE CAN'T TALK, WHO CAN?

HERE'S THE DEAL.

SHE'S GOT TO UNDERSTAND, PART OF HER JOB IS COMMUNICATION AND I DON'T THINK SHE'S UP TO IT.

THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY.

>> I THINK SHE'S FROM A DIFFERENT -- I THINK SHE'S FROM A DIFFERENT ERA.

IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT SHE SAID QUITE EMPHATICALLY, EARLIER, LIKE RIGHT AFTER SHE BECAME CHIEF, THAT THERE IS NO SYSTEMIC RACISM IN THE ST. LOUIS COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I THINK THAT KEITH WILDHABER WAS ADDRESSING IT AS YOU WOULD EXPECT THE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER TO ADDRESS IT.

IF HE IS CALLED -- IF HE -- SERIOUSLY, CHARLIE, IF HE IS PHONED BY THE MEDIA AND IF HE BELIEVES THAT SOMETHING SHOULD BE ADDRESSED, I DON'T THINK THAT HE SHOULD BE PENALIZED FOR THAT.

>> IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE ON JULY 31st, HE GAVE AN INTERVIEW TO JENNA BARNES OF KSDK AND HE SAID THERE WAS SYSTEMIC RACISM, BUT IT WAS AGAINST GAY WHITE MALES LIKE HIMSELF.

AND THAT WAS AT THE TIME WHEN ON HIS FACEBOOK POST HE SAID BECAUSE OF ESOP, THE ETHICAL SOCIETY OF POLICE, HE WAS GOING TO QUIT, HE WOULDN'T SPEND THREE MORE YEARS WITH THEM, BUT THEN HE CAME BACK IN AUGUST.

>> AND IF WILDHABER WOULD HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME PROBLEMS, BUT SAM PAGE IS DOING A GREAT JOB, HE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN CALLED IN ON THE CARPET.

>> GOOD POINT.

>> I MEAN, I AGREE WITH RAY AND WENDY.

WILDHABER'S JOB IS PARTIALLY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC.

>> AND LET ME -- >> YEAH I -- >> GO AHEAD, RAY.

>> I'VE BEEN TALKING TOMP TOO MUCH.

I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE THING.

I AGREE WITH ESOP THAT A PERSON OF COLOR SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THAT ROLE, TO BE CLEAR.

AND I'M NOT INTO IDENTITY POLITICS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE LEFT.

I WILL SAY IN THAT PARTICULAR ROLE, GIVEN THE PROBLEM WITH SYSTEMIC RACISM IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER SHOULD BE A PERSON OF COLOR.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT?

WHAT I RECALL, WHEN THEY MADE THAT STATEMENT, IT WASN'T THAT A PERSON OF COLOR SHOULD BE THERE, BUT SOMEONE WHO HAD PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.

>> I THINK IT SHOULD BE A PERSON OF COLOR.

>> OKAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OUT OF TIME AND YOU'LL MISS MY GREAT THOUGHT THERE.

THANKS -- YOU CAN THANK THE CLOCK FOR THAT.

IN A MOMENT, WE'RE GOING TO CHECK IN WITH JASON HALL OF GREATER ST. LOUIS, INC.

HE WANTS TO IMPROVE THE REGION BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF JOBS IN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS.

THAT'S JUST AROUND THE CORNER ON NEXT UP.

>> Announcer: DONNYBROOK IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE MEMBERS OF THE NINE PBS.

* >> HEY, THANKS TO JOINING US FOR NEXT UP.

WE ARE SO PLEASED TO WELCOME JASON HALL, THE CEO OF GREATER ST. LOUIS, INC., TO THE FIRING LINE AS IT WERE.

GOOD EVENING, JASON, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

>> I'M GREAT.

GOOD EVENING AND IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE WITH THE TEAM.

>> WELL, IF YOU COULD, PLEASE JUST TELL US A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT GREATER ST. LOUIS, INC., MAYBE YOUR MISSION, THE BIG PICTURE, WHAT YOU INTEND TO DO.

>> YEAH.

WE'RE GOING TO GET UP EVERY DAY WORKING TO GET THIS METROPOLITAN REGION GROWING AGAIN AND CREATING MORE JOBS AND DOING SO WITH INTENTION TO BE INCLUSIVE.

WE CANNOT LEAVE ANYBODY BEHIND AS WE START TO GROW THIS ECONOMY, BUT WE HAVE GOT TO COMMIT TO BEING A GROWTH REGION.

IT'S BEEN STAGNATING AND IF WE WANT TO HAVE A FUTURE, WE'VE GOT TO GROW.

>> ALVIN.

>> JASON, SO MUCH IS MADE OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE FLIGHT OF YOUNG PEOPLE.

I CONTEND THAT MANY OF THEM DO MOVE BACK, YOU KNOW, TO BEGIN THEIR LIVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.

BUT WHAT ARE YOU ADDRESSING SPECIFICALLY OR ARE YOU EVEN ADDRESSING AT THIS STAGE HOW COULD KEEP YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS AND IN THE SURROUNDING AREA?

>> YEAH, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

IT'S CRITICAL BECAUSE FOR COMMUNITIES TO GROW, YOU GOT TO KEEP BRINGING YOUNG PEOPLE INTO IT.

IT'S GOT TO BE A COMMUNITY OF CHOICE.

I THINK IT STARTS, THIS IS A GREAT PLACE.

WE HAVE TREMENDOUS ASSETS HERE.

IT'S A TREMENDOUS PLACE TO LIVE AND A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE.

YOU GOT TO GET THAT NARRATIVE OUT.

AND ONE OF THE PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IS TO DO A BETTER JOB OF TELLING THAT ST. LOUIS STORY SO THAT PEOPLE CAN HEAR YOU.

THEY KNOW WHAT YOU STAND FOR, WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LIVE HERE, AND WE'RE DOING THAT THROUGH THE LIVES OF REAL ST. LOUISANS.

YOU CAN GO TO STL.COM AS PART OF THE STL MADE INITIATIVE, WHICH I KNOW IS TALKED ABOUT ON THIS SHOW, IT WAS TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE LAUNCHED, TO GET THAT OUT, TO GET THAT PICTURE OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE HERE.

WE ALSO ARE DOING SOME THINGS AROUND THE BIKE-PED INFRASTRUCTURE.

PEOPLE WANT TO BE IN A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN BE MOBILE ON BIKES AND WALK TO PLACES AND WE'RE DOING CRITICAL WORK ON THAT.

PROJECTS LIKE THE BRICKLINE GREENWAY.

PEOPLE LOVE THIS.

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ATTRACTED TO IT AND OF THE MANY THINGS, THOSE ARE A FEW THAT I WOULD HIGHLIGHT THAT WE COULD DO TO BRING MORE YOUNG PEOPLE AND HAVE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THEY SEE THEY HAVE A FUTURE AND BEING AN INCLUSIVE PLACE BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO BE IN A PLACE THAT IS DIVERSE, GLOBALLY CONNECTED.

THAT'S THE KIND OF COMMUNITY PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE IN AND WE'VE GOT TO LIVE THOSE VALUES.

>> BILL?

>> HEY, ONE, I'M ONE OF THOSE KIDS WHO LEFT.

LEFT, WENT TO COLLEGE, AND I DIDN'T COME BACK TILL I WAS 35 YEARS OLD, OKAY?

AND WHEN I CAME BACK, ONE OF THE STRANGEST THINGS EVER FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, I WORKED FOR RCGA AND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING RIGHT NOW, AS ENTHUSIASTIC AS YOU ARE, WE WERE SAYING IT WHEN I WAS THERE IN 1995.

AND THEY WERE SAYING IT IN 2002 AND THEY'VE BEEN SAYING IT, AND IT'S THE SAME PLAYERS SAYING THE SAME THINGS WE HAVE HEARD SO MANY TIMES BEFORE.

I'M SORRY, MY DAUGHTER, ONE GOES TO SCHOOL IN CHICAGO, MY YOUNGEST IS GOING TO UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, SHE'S GETTING INTO ENGINEERING.

PEOPLE WANT BIKE PATHS AND PEOPLE WANT THIS AND PEOPLE WANT THAT, BUT PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A PLACE WHERE THEIR EFFORTS ARE NOT APPRECIATED FOR THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN.

AND ST. LOUIS HAS THAT PROBLEM, AND BEFORE WE, YOU KNOW, DO THE, YOU KNOW, THAT, HOW ABOUT WE REALLY GET DOWN TO BUSINESS ON WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS REGION?

AND SO FAR WHAT I'VE READ, I'M NOT IMPRESSED THAT YOU ALL ARE READY TO DO THAT.

>> WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT, AND IT IS A CRITICAL ISSUE.

THE RACIAL INEQUITIES THAT EXIST ARE UNACCEPTABLE, AND I THINK LOOKING AT THE 2030 JOBS PLAN, THE DRAFT THAT IS OUT THERE, SPECIFICALLY CALLING OUT THE SYSTEMIC RACISM HOLDS US BACK.

IT IS COSTING US JOBS, IT IS COSTING THE ECONOMY AND ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, IT'S UNACCEPTABLE IN THIS COUNTRY AND IT'S UNACCEPTABLE IN THIS REGION.

WE IDENTIFY SOME VERY SPECIFIC STRATEGIES IN THAT PLAN THAT HAS SURFACED ON HOW WE START TO CLOSE THAT.

NOT ONE GROUP OF ONE PLANS IS THE ANSWER TO ALL THE SOLUTIONS WE FACE IN SYSTEMIC RACISM, JUSTICE REFORM, OTHER CRITICAL AREAS THAT PEOPLE ARE WORKING ON, EDUCATION.

BUT AS IT RELATES TO JOBS AND OPPORTUNITY, THE PLAN GOES TO THE HEART OF THAT AND, AGAIN, THERE'S NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE HARD WORK WE'VE GOT TO DO AND THE CHANGE OF BEHAVIOR THAT WE NEED TO HAVE IN THIS REGION IF WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE THAT.

I AGREE AND I WILL TELL YOU, WHEN I CAME BACK TO ST. LOUIS, I GREW UP IN GRANITE CITY, ILLINOIS, ONE OF MY FIRST IN THE FAMILY TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, THE FIRST TO GO TO COLLEGE, AND I HAD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY IN A LOT OF CITIES BEFORE ME.

I HAD JUST COME OUT AS A GAY MAN AND LITERALLY IN ST. LOUIS FOR A FEW MONTHS, AND THE FIRST THING THROWN IN MY FACE IS A CONSTITUTIONAL BAN ON MY RIGHT TO MARRIAGE AND I WAS FORCED INTO THAT CIVIL RIGHTS AND I WAS SCARED TO DEATH AS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY LAWYER IN ST. LOUIS, BIG CORPORATE LAW FIRM, AND I REMEMBER WHAT THAT WAS LIKE.

I FOUGHT THAT FIGHT AND I'M GOING TO FIGHT FOR EVERY OTHER KID THAT IS BEING LEFT BEHIND AND, AGAIN, SPECIFICALLY, RACE IS A VERY SPECIFIC ISSUE AND I WOULD FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON BLACK ST. LOUISANS THAT HAVE FACED THE SYSTEMIC RACISM FOR FAR TOO LONG AND, AGAIN, THE JOBS COMMUNITY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY HAS A ROLE TO PLAY.

I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING THIS DIRECT AS A JOBS COMMUNITY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TO WORK TO CLOSE THOSE GAPS AS I'VE SEEN IN THIS 2030 PLAN.

>> ALL RIGHT, JASON, YOU'RE A POWERFUL EXAMPLE OF AN OPENLY GAY MAN WHO SUCCEEDED IN ST. LOUIS, AND I READ THAT YOU CAME OUT IN THE POST-DISPATCH AND YOUR MOTHER CALLED YOU AT 6:00 A.M. TO SAY SHE READ IT, AND I WANT TO COMMEND YOUR PARENTS FOR GETTING THE PAPER.

YOU KNOW, THINGS HAVEN'T REALLY IMPROVED.

I MEAN, JUST THIS PAST YEAR, WE HAD THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, ERIC SCHMITT, JOIN WITH A LAWSUIT FROM ANOTHER STATE AFTER A FEDERAL JUDGE SAID THAT GAYS AND TRANSGENDERS WERE PROTECTED FROM EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION BY THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, AND WE FELT THE NEED, MR. SCHMITT DID, TO JUMP INTO THE FRAY AND DISAGREE WITH THAT RULING.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING EARLIER ABOUT SAM PAGE AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL, HIS FIRST DIVERSITY DIRECTOR WAS HAZEL ERBY WHO HAD VOTED AGAINST GIVING GAYS AND TRANSGENDERS PROTECTION ON THE BASIS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

AND I WONDER, WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT THESE 21st CENTURY BUSINESSES AND THE AREA STILL SEEMS TO HAVE A MID 20th CENTURY ATTITUDE, HOW DO YOU DO IT?

I MEAN BECAUSE COMPANIES, THEY WANT THEIR EMPLOYEES TO FEEL COMFORTABLE AND WELCOME AND -- HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DEAL WITH THAT?

I READ YOUR REPORT AND YOU DID DEAL WITH RACIAL THINGS, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.

>> YEAH, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I THINK IT'S A REMINDER, TOO, WE HAVE TO WORK TO SHAPE THE KIND OF COMMUNITY WE WANT TO LIVE IN, AND I'LL TELL YOU, NOT ONLY WAS, YOU KNOW, FACING THE CONSTITUTIONAL BAN AS SOON AS I GOT BACK TO MISSOURI, WHEN I CAME BACK FROM GOVERNOR NIXON'S ADMINISTRATION, I LIKE ALVIN WAS AT RCGA, THE CHAMBER FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, WE WERE THRUST INTO THE FIGHT OF A BATHROOM BILL WITH SJR 39 AND WE ORGANIZED THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO SPEAK ON THAT ISSUE.

HUGH GRANT FROM MONSANTO AND OTHERS TAKING A POSITION AND WE WORKED WITH OUR PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO GO DOWN TO THAT STATE CAPITOL AND LEAN IN AND SPEAKING ON THIS ISSUE AND THERE WERE SOME CRITICAL VOTES WE DEFEATED.

ACTUALLY AT THE TIME WHEN NORTH CAROLINA DID NOT.

THEY WERE THE OTHER STATE FACING THIS AT THE TIME, BUT IT TOOK HARD WORK.

IT TOOK ORGANIZING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, IT TOOK SPEAKING OUT, IT TOOK GOING DOWN TO THE CAPITOL LATE NIGHTS.

WE HAVE TO DO THAT KIND OF WORK TO GET THE KIND OF COMMUNITY THAT WE WANT IF WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, FIGHT THESE PERNICIOUS MINDSETS THAT ARE HOLDING US BACK.

BECAUSE IF WE'RE NOT AN INCLUSIVE AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO ATTRACT THE TALENTED PEOPLE, THE CREATORS THAT WE NEED AND I'D BE THE FIRST TO SAY THAT.

BUT IT IS GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF WORK, THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

AND I'LL TELL YOU, I DO FEEL AS AN EXAMPLE, I FOUND SUCCESS.

I CONNECTED WITH PEOPLE HERE AND, I MEAN, WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT AT ONE POINT -- I WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT THAT AN OPENLY GAY KID THAT GREW UP IN GRANITE CITY, ILLINOIS, WOULD ONE DAY BE TRUSTED TO HEAD A NEW CIVIC ORGANIZATION LIKE THERE.

I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT UNTHINKABLE.

AND MY COLLEAGUE AND LONG TIME FRIEND, VAL PATTEN, NEWLY CREATED POSITION, ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED CIVIC LEADERS IN THIS REGION, WE'RE THINKING DIFFERENTLY, DIFFERENT PEOPLE ARE IN LEADERSHIP ROLES AND WE HAVE TO KEEP WORKING FOR THAT SO THAT EVERY CHILD LIKE US HAS THAT OPPORTUNITY.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK FOR IT.

I MEAN, IT IS HARD.

>> JASON, I GOT A QUESTION THAT'S A LOT MORE BORING THAN THE LAST TWO WHICH PROBABLY WON'T BOTHER YOU, BUT YEAH.

I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT, YOU MENTIONED, USED THE R-WORD, REGION, AS IN REGIONALISM.

I'M CURIOUS AS TO HOW THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY CAN BRIDGE THE DIVIDE BETWEEN THE CITY, COUNTY -- NOT SO MUCH BETWEEN THE CITY AND COUNTY, BUT BETWEEN THE CITY-COUNTY AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES.

THE ST. CHARLES COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIDN'T GIVE PARTICULAR RAVE REVIEWS TO THE PLAN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

WHAT CAN YOU DO, I MEAN, BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE, JUST AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW, THERE'S MORE PEOPLE LIVING OUTSIDE OF THE CITY AND COUNTY COMBINED THAN THERE ARE IN THE CITY AND COUNTY COMBINED IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA AS DEFINED BY THE CENSUS BUREAU.

SO HOW DO YOU -- WHAT CAN YOU DO TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AS A BUSINESS COMMUNITY?

>> WELL, I'LL TELL YOU, IT STARTS WITH HAVING OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATION.

ONE OF THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, HERE WE ARE IN WEEK TWO AND I SAID I'M CALLING AND I'M JUST GOING TO MEET WITH ALL 15 OF THE PRINCIPAL COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE BI-STATE METRO.

AND SOMEONE SAID THEY'RE BIG TIME IMPACTED BY THE REGIONAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND HAPPY TO BE A PART OF IT.

WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT REGIONALISM IN A SILO.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO REACH OUT TO THE PARTNERS AND PEOPLE WE NEED TO WORK WITH, SO I DO THINK THERE'S A POWERFUL ROLE IN CONVENING.

NOT ONE PERSON I'VE SPOKEN TORQUE IN FACT I WAS OVER, HAD GREAT CONVERSATION WITH CHAIRMAN KERN THIS MORNING.

I WAS OVER IN EDWARDSVILLE THIS AFTERNOON, MY HOME COUNTY, MADISON COUNTY, AND THESE ARE GOOD PEOPLE.

LEADERS WHO CARE AND WANT TO WORK WITH US.

NOBODY WAKES UP SAYING I DON'T WANT THIS TO SUCCEED AND I THINK THERE'S A RECOGNITION THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO TOGETHER AND THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO AT THE METRO LEVEL THAT MOVES THE REGION FORWARD, BUT IT DOES START WITH DIALOGUE, SOME IDEAS.

I'LL TELL YOU, A COUNTY EXECUTIVE I'VE PHOKNOWN FOR A VERY LONG TIME, I RESPECT HIM, AND I THOUGHT THE FACT HE CARED TO WRITE AN EIGHT-PAGE CONSTRUCTIVE LETTER AND THAT WAS CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK.

WE SAID THIS WAS A DRAFT.

IF WE'RE GOING TO BE COMMITTED TO DIALOGUE AND PLANNING, IT'S GOING TO BE MESSY AT TIMES.

IT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN AGREE AN EVERY ISSUE, BUT THERE'S A GOOD WAY TO DO THAT.

IF WE CAN'T TAKE THAT CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK, THEN I DON'T NEED TO BE IN THIS CLAIRE.

I THINK WE NEED TO LISTEN AND THE REPORT WE'RE WORKING ON WILL BE BETTER BECAUSE OF THAT FEEDBACK AND WE'LL BE A STRONGER REGION BECAUSE WE HAVE THE COURAGE TO HAVE THAT DIALOGUE, SO I APPLAUD THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR SPEAKING UP.

IT'S BECAUSE HE CARES.

IT'S WHEN PEOPLE STOP CARING THAT I'M REALLY WORRIED.

>> I THINK ONE OF HIS CONCERNS WAS YOUR PLAN TO CREATE A LOT OF JOBS IN THE URBAN CORE IN THE CITY AND HE WAS, I'M PARAPHRASING HERE, SAYING, HEY, WHAT ABOUT ST. CHARLES COUNTY?

TALK ABOUT CREATING JOBS IN THE URBAN CORE AND COUNTY REGION REBOUND WITHOUT A STRONG URBAN CORE IF YOUR VIEW?

>> NO, THERE'S NO MODEL FOR SUCCESS WITHOUT A STRONG CORE.

THE CORE IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO METROPOLITAN GROWTH.

WE'RE ALL IN THAT TOGETHER.

I THINK THERE HAS BEEN RECOGNITION, I THINK SOME OF THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAD WAS AROUND AN OLDER DRAFT OF THE REPORT ABOUT LOCATING ALL NEW JOBS IN THE CORE VERSUS A SHARE OF THE NEW JOBS THAT ARE CREATED IN THE REGION.

SO I THINK LANGUAGE MATTERS, AND AGAIN, I'M GLAD HE HIGHLIGHTED IT BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT DIALOGUE SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW WE WORK AS A METRO TO STRENGTHEN THE CORE.

BUT I HAVE HEARD, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, ENGAGING WITH PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE REGION, MOST PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IT.

QUITE FRANKLY, THEY'RE HEARING IT FROM THEIR KIDS BECAUSE THEIR KIDS GO TO OTHER CITIES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SEEING THE VIBRANCY THAT THEY WANT OR PEOPLE LIKE I REALLY LIKE THE CULTURAL AMENITIES IN THE CORE, THE SPORTS TEAMS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

THERE IS A CONNECTEDNESS AND I THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT.

I THINK THE REPORT AND DRAFT DOES NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF EXPLAINING HOW SOME OF THE OTHER STRATEGIES, FOCUSING ON ADVANCE PRODUCTION, FOCUSING ON GEO GEOSPATIAL BENEFIT ALL PARTS OF THE METRO AND I THINK THE LANGUAGE NEEDS TO IMPROVE AROUND THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S STRONG DISAGREEMENT ON THE ROLE OF THE CORE IF WE'RE GOING TO BE A GROWING METRO GOING FORWARD.

>> OKAY, I KIND OF DISAGREE WITH YOU ON THAT.

THERE IS A PROBLEM -- LOOK, STEVE EHLMANN BEING WHO EASY.

I APPRECIATE HIM TOO, THAT'S ST. CHARLES, BUT THEY HAVE THEIR OWN THING.

FRANKLIN COUNTY, JEFFERSON COUNTY, THEY DON'T CARE, OKAY?

QUITE FRANKLY, WE HAVE A GOVERNOR THAT DOES NOT CARE ABOUT ST. LOUIS, ALL RIGHT?

I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE REGION, I'M TALKING ABOUT THAT CORE RIGHT THERE.

THEY DON'T CARE.

I KNOW WE'VE AT LEAST ONE SENATOR THAT CERTAINLY DON'T CARE, ALL RIGHT?

ARE YOU TALKING TO THEM?

AND WHEN YOU TALK TO THEM, IS IT, WELL, PLEASE, OR IS IT YOU'VE GOT TO CHANGE OR WE'RE SERIOUS THIS TIME?

THERE'S POWER AND THERE'S WEALTH BEHIND YOUR EFFORT, BUT ARE YOU TRUTHFULLY GOING TO SPEAK TO THEETION PEOPLE AND SAY YOU'RE ATTITUDE HAS TO CHANGE AND ST. LOUIS AND KANSAS CITY HAS TO CHANGE.

>> I APPRECIATE THAT.

WE'RE SETTING CLEAR PRIORITIES HERE, GOING THROUGH A PROCESS FOR THIS REGION TO EDGE GAUGE AROUND THOSE IDEAS.

WE'RE GOING TO FIGHT FOR PRIORITIES AND, YOU KNOW, ALVIN AS WELL, RIGHT, IT CAN BE TOUGH IN THE POLITICAL ARENA.

I SPENT TIME IN JEFFERSON CITY.

WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT STYLES, I THINK, ABOUT HOW WE GO ABOUT DELIVERING THAT MESSAGE.

MY STYLE WHEN I WAS IN JEFFERSON CITY, AS I SAY, YOU KNOW, I WAS TRYING TO CREATE -- PEOPLE TOLD ME IT WAS GOING TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A CONSERVATIVE LEGISLATURE TO GO ALONG WITH BUILDING THE MISSOURI TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION AND START GETTING THE STATE TO SUPPORT THE TAX STARTUP BECAUSE IT WAS SO CITY FOCUSED IN KANSAS CITY AND ST. LOUIS.

PEOPLE SAID IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE, BUT I FOUND YOU GO DOOR TO DOOR, YOU MEET WITH PEOPLE, TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE WORKING ON, BE HOSPITAL -- BE HONEST WITH THEM, STAND FOR SOMETHING AND LET IT BE AUTHENTIC AND YOU CAN FIND COMMON GROUND TO MOVE THOSE IDEAS FORWARD AND TO HAVE THAT MESSAGE AROUND INCLUSIVE GROWTH AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT NEGLIGENT AROUND THE CORE AND THE OTHER -- MESSAGE AROUND THE CORE AND THE OTHER PRIORITIES IN THIS REPORT AND I'M NOT UNDER ANY MISTAKE.

WE'LL HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THOSE PRIORITIES AT TIMES.

NIGHT ALL BE DIFFERENT STYLES THAT WE USE TO TRY TO WIN PEOPLE OVER TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF IT, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO DEVIATE FROM THAT.

>> RAY?

>> BACK TO ME ALREADY.

I GUESS MY QUESTION TO YOU, AND THIS IS A LITTLE OUT OF YOUR -- IT'S ALMOST AN UNFAIR QUESTION, BUT I LOOK AT MICHAEL NEIDORFF AS SORT OF THE PROTO TYPICALLY EXAMPLE OF THE WAY THINGS HAVE BEEN DONE, KIND OF LIKE A LITTLE BIT ALONG THE LINES OF ALVIN'S VIEW OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING TO CHANGE.

HERE'S A GUY, HE'S A WHITE -- OLD WHITE GUY, AND FOR A LONG TIME, IT WAS ALL WHITE GUYS HERE AND HE'S JUST RECENTLY TRASHED -- AND HE HAS LOT OF RESPECT, AN AMAZING SUCCESS STORY.

HE JUST TRASHED ST. LOUIS ON THE NATIONAL STAGE TWICE IN THE LAST YEAR.

AND ONCE OVER CHARLOTTE AND THEN WHAT WAS IT RECENTLY AGAIN?

>> THE POLICE.

>> THE VINES -- >> THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

>> BECAUSE NOBODY CAN WALK AROUND THE STATE OF SAFELY IN CLAYTON.

IT'S LIKE -- I GUESS MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WHAT DO YOU SEE AMONG YOUR BOSSES, GUYS LIKE ANDY TAYLOR TO HIS CREDIT WHO HAVE BEEN OUT THERE.

DO YOU SEE SOME SELF-AWARENESS AROUND THEM THAT THEY NEED TOOF AS PIERCE PEOPLE OF COLOR, LIKE -- PEERS PEOPLE OF COLOR, LIKE IN ATLANTA, LIKE IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, WHERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY AT THE TABLE.

IT'S WONDERFUL, BY THE WAY, THAT YOU'RE THE FACE OF THIS, BUT IS THERE REALLY ANY SELF-AWARENESS THAT THEY'VE GOT TO STOP HAVING THIS KIND OF WHITE FATHER KNOWS BEST THING GOING ON?

BECAUSE I SEE THAT CONTINUING.

I'M SORRY, BUT WHAT DO YOU -- IS THERE ANY -- >> YEAH, I THINK SO, AND I THINK WE HAVE TO.

I MEAN, WE'VE GOT TO CREATE TABLES THAT REFLECT THIS COMMUNITY AND QUITE FRANKLY, I'D GO FURTHER, TO SHARE POWER IN THIS COMMUNITY, THAT EMPOWER PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THAT, AND I'LL SAY DON'T JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, BUT LOOK AT THE WORK, ESPECIALLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WHEN WE SAID WE'RE GOING TO COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY AND WE'RE GOING TO BE JUST LIKE WE DID IF BIOTECH, WE'RE GOING TO LEVERAGE THE NGA $2 BILLION INVESTMENT TO BE A GLOBAL LEADER IN GEO SPATIAL.

LOOK AT THE TABLE AND LOOK AT THE PEOPLE WE BROUGHT TOGETHER TO SHAPE THAT FUTURE FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SECTOR.

DEEPLY PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT AT THE TIME HAD ACTUALLY STARTED HIS FIRST INTERNSHIP AT THE OLD VMA AND SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE SITTING AT A TABLE SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH LEADERS NOW SHIRKING THIS INDUSTRY AFTER WHAT I WENT THROUGH IN THE 1970s IN ST. LOUIS?

I MEAN, THAT WORK SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.

WHY GOT TO -- WE'RE IMPERFECT BECAUSE WE'RE HUMAN, BUT WE HAVE TO GET BETTER AND I'LL GIVE YOU MY WORD, I'M COMMITTED TO DOING THAT EVERYWHERE THAT I CAN.

I WILL LEAD BY EXAMPLE.

AGAIN, NO ONE ORGANIZATION IS GOING TO SOLVE ALL CHALLENGES, BUT WE GOT TO MOD TELL THE BEHAVIOR THAT WE WANT OTHERS TO.

I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO A MORE BEAUTIFUL ST. LOUIS THAT VALUES EVERYONE AND BRINGS THOSE VOICES TO THE TABLE.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT WILL BE UNCOMFORTABLE FOR SOME IN THE SHORT RUN, BUT WE WILL BE A STRONGER COMMUNITY IN THE LONG RUN IF WE ACTUALLY LISTEN AND SHARE THAT POWER.

>> BILL?

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT IMMIGRATION.

MOST PEOPLE WHO TALK ABOUT GROWING AN ECONOMY SAY THAT IMMIGRANTS ARE SO IMPORTANT, THEY'RE HARD-WORKING, THEY'RE ENTREPRENEURIAL, AND WE SEEM TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO DISCOURAGE IMMIGRANTS.

I MEAN, MISSOURI MADE ENGLISH THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF THE STATE AS IF THERE WAS A DANGER.

IT WAS JUST TO LET PEOPLE KNOW AND THE WEST COUNTY REPUBLICANS IN 2019 FOR THEIR LINCOLN DAY INVITED SHERIFF JOE, THE DISGREASED SHERIFF OF MARICOPA COUNTY WHO MAY BE THE MOST OVERT ANTI-LATINO IN THE COUNTRY AS THEIR SPEAKER.

HOW CAN -- THESE ARE THE IMMIGRANTS THAT WE SHOULD WANT.

WOULD YOU GO, LIKE, TALK TO THE WEST COUNTY REPUBLICANS AND SAY YOU CAN'T BRING SHERIFF ARPAIO HERE.

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH STUFF LIKE THAT?

>> WELL, RAY, WE KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE THOSE KIND OF RESPONSES AT TIMES.

WHEN I WAKE UP, I THINK OF THE PIONEERING WORK THAT BROUGHT IMMIGRANTS TO THIS COMMUNITY AND -- WHAT BETSY COHEN DID FOR THE MOSAIC PROJECT, WE'RE SPEAKING POSITIVELY, WE'RE GOING TO WELCOME IMMIGRANTS TO THIS COMMUNITY.

I THINK BEING SMASHINGLY SUCCESSFUL WITH THOSE KINDS OF INITIATIVES, I THINK WE LEAD WITH A VOIT, YOU'RE WELCOME HERE, YOU'RE VALUABLE HERE.

ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY DID THE RESEARCH, IMMIGRANTS MULTIPLE TIMES MORE LIKELY THAN NATIVE-BORN AMERICANS TO CREATE A BUSINESS.

THEY'RE ENTREPRENEURIAL.

THIS IS A CITY AND A METRO WHOSE RESURGENCE IS COMING FROM THAT ENTREPRENEURIAL COMMUNITY.

WE NEED TO WELCOME WITH OPEN ARMS THE FOREIGN-BORN POPULATION AND WE WILL USE THIS BULLY PULPIT TO DO THAT.

>> WENDY?

>> YOU CAN'T HAVE ST. LOUIS WITHOUT THE FOREIGN-BORN POPULATION.

I THINK WE'RE ALL EVIDENCE OF THAT.

JASON, IN TERMS OF THE PUZZLE, ONE HUGE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE IS TRANSPORTATION AND MASS TRANSIT.

METROLINK, WHERE THE METROLINK ON THE WISH LIST OF THE ORGANIZATION?

>> YEAH, WELL, IT'S CRITICAL.

OBVIOUSLY TO HAVE STRONG TRANSIT, IT'S CRITICAL FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS JOBS.

IT'S PART OF BEING INCLUSIVE AND IT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY HAVING ACCESSIBLE JOBS IN THE CORE ALONG PUBLIC TRANSIT ARE CRITICAL.

THE REPORT ITSELF, THE JOBS PLAN, DOES NOT GO DEEP INTO SPECIFICS AROUND METROLINK, BUT IT IS CRITICAL IN WEEK TWO.

I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING IT BECAUSE IT IS A CRITICAL LINK FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS JOBS AND IT NEEDS TO BE SAFE, RELIABLE, AND, YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY, MY PARTNER USES METRO TO GET TO WORK.

WHEN WE LIVED DOWNTOWN, WORKED AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER, WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE METROLINK, MY FAMILY'S USED IT, SO I GET IT.

IT IS IMPORTANT, AND WE NEED TO KEEP INVESTING IN IT TO BE A WORLD-CLASS COMPETITIVE CITY.

>> JASON, DOESN'T MICHAEL NEIDORFF HAVE A POINT THAT CRIME IS HINDERING OUR GROWTH?

>> I THINK THERE'S -- LOOK, WE NEED TO LIVE IN A SAFE AND EQUITABLE COMMUNITY AND I HEAR -- AND I'LL BE VERY CANDID.

I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT CRIME AND PUBLIC SAFETY AS I'M ENGAGING WITH OTHERS THROUGHOUT THE REGION.

I'M NOT GOING TO SWEEP UNDER THAT THE RUG.

I THINK THERE'S ALSO BEEN, AND I THINK RAY HAS WRITTEN ABOUT THIS, WHEN YOU COMPARE THE METRO STATISTICS FOR CHARLOTTE TO ST. LOUIS AROUND CRIME, WE'RE NOT SEEING A LOT OF DIFFERENCE THERE, BUT I STILL THINK WHEN WE SAW THE NUMBERS THAT WE SAW IN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS, THOSE TR LIVES LOST.

THOSE ARE FAMILIES IMPACTED, AND THAT IS JUST UNACCEPTABLE.

SO WE NEED TO LIVE IN SAFE AND EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES.

HAVING JOBS, CREATING JOBS, CONNECTING PEOPLE TO JOBS THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OF THE ECONOMY OR LEFT BEHIND IS ONE OF THE ANSWERS.

IT'S NOT THE ONLY ANSWER.

I MEAN, LET'S BE REAL.

PUBLIC SAFETY HAS GOT A LOT OF FACETS TO IT, BUT GETTING PEOPLE JOBS AND ACCESS TO THOSE JOBS, THE EARLIER WE CAN DO THAT IS ONE OF THE BEST CRIME PREVENTION TOOLS WE HAVE IN THIS CITY AND METRO.

>> WE REALLY HAVE JUST ABOUT 30 SECONDS TO GO.

>> YES.

>> IS THERE A WAY THAT PEOPLE CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE OR PARTICIPATE, GET INVOLVED?

>> YEAH, I WOULD SAY RIGHT NOW IS WE'RE ENGAGING THE PUBLIC WITH IDEA AROUND THIS 2030 JOBS PLAN.

WE'RE ALL IN THIS BOAT TOGETHER.

I ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO READ IT AND GIVE HONEST FEEDBACK.

IT IS OKAY TO BE CONSTRUCTIVE.

IT'S OKAY THAT WE DIDN'T DISAGREE RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S HOW WE GET BETTER.

RIGHT NOW, I THINK ONE OF THE BEST THINGS WE CAN DO IS PROVIDE THAT FEEDBACK BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THE BENEFIT OF THAT AS WE START TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE DECADE.

GREATER STL DPTION INC..COM.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.

>> Announcer: DONNYBROOK IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE MEMBERS OF NINE