Real estate committee denies request to add Parents Action Committee as member

The Saint Louis Public Schools Real Estate Committee voted on Sept. 15 to deny a motion that would have allowed the Parents Action Committee (PAC) to participate as members of the committee.

Committee members said the PAC’s repeated presentations had not made clear whether the group sought full committee membership or what scope of participation it wanted, and they raised specific concerns about tax abatement and tax-increment financing (TIF) issues, which can affect district revenue and are frequently discussed in closed session. Several members said community representation on other committees exists but that organizational representatives seeking a committee seat could open the door to many other groups.

At the meeting, a motion to allow PAC participation was made and seconded; during roll-call voting the committee recorded multiple “No” votes and the chair announced the motion was denied. Members discussed alternatives, including limiting any outside representative’s role so that a community representative would not participate in tax-abatement or TIF deliberations, or inviting community members who represent themselves rather than an organized committee.

Committee discussion also noted the PAC had presented to the committee three times and that staff and committee members remained unclear about the group’s goals. Some members suggested community members on committees should be individual residents rather than organizational delegates. No follow-up vote or motion to create a restricted participation option occurred during the meeting; the committee left the status quo in place.