Hard No: Cara’s Statement on the Transparency of the North City Small Business and Non Profit Grant Program

“The more we learn about the North St. Louis City Small Business and Non Profit Grant Program, the more troubled I become with the program. The Post Dispatch reported that some of the businesses appeared to be vacant, abandoned buildings, among other issues of transparency and due diligence. Yesterday, I was a hard no on reallocating funding dedicated to the administration of this program. If we still haven’t vetted these businesses before awarding businesses the city has more work to do.

“The lack of transparency in this process has impacted the trust and validity our institutions have in our community: we must ensure that the organizations we empower to handle our development and growth are held to the highest standards. The ongoing concerns make clear that the residents who need these funds the most are now worried they may not have been given a fair shot.  

“In the coming weeks you will hear more from me on why transparency and trust are important pillars to uphold in our government. We need to implement measures that will help build back the faith our community demands; I will share how I plan to do just that.  

“We have work to do and transparency should be our top priority. 

“If you can, help fuel our campaign to make transparency a priority in city government through a contribution or volunteer to help us spread the word about my commitment to good government.”

– Cara Spencer

If you'd like to read more on the situation, check out some of the articles below:

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St. Louis Business Journal: Amid questions, north St. Louis grant recipients to be vetted, officials say