Karla May – the new African-American consensus pick to succeed Michael McMillan as St. Louis license collector – comes highly recommended by her colleagues, past and present, in the Missouri House of Representatives.
“Rep. Karla May is a servant leader who is driven by purpose,” says state Rep. Michael Butler of Missouri’s 79th District, her current colleague.
“You feel her energy and passion when she speaks about matters concerning St. Louis in the Missouri House. This session she was able to get one of the most progressive pieces of legislation passed concerning child support. As a manager in corporate America, Karla is a proven professional who can handle the business aspects of government.”
May’s potential future colleague as citywide official and past colleague in the Missouri House, St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura O. Jones, knows how May gets things done in Jefferson City as a minority in a woefully outnumbered minority party.
“Karla never shies away from a fight,” Jones said. “She was an outspoken advocate against right to work, against discrimination and for the rights of families. She’s a hard worker and has good relationships across the aisle.”
Though her colleagues endorse her appointment as license collector, as does McMillan (who is stepping down to head the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis), the appointing authority is Gov. Jay Nixon.
Interestingly, a possible boost in May’s political career now lies in the hands of the same statewide elected official who scuttled her last round of hard work and aisle-crossing on behalf of her constituents in Missouri’s 84th House District – and, in fact, many thousands of men across the state. That is because Nixon vetoed Senate Bill 224, which carried May’s amendment concerning child support that Butler praised.
Had Nixon signed SB224 into law, men who had paid off their debts for child support that earned them a felony rap could petition to have their felony conviction expunged from their criminal records for purposes of employment.
“One they had paid off all their arrears, they could petition the court for a one-time expungement,” May said. “It’s a non-violent crime, and people can’t get jobs because companies won’t hire felons. When someone can’t get work, everyone is in jeopardy.”
Nixon did not see the matter that way. He vetoed SB224, which would have reduced the maximum penalty for minors who use false identification to obtain access to casinos, for other reasons, but he included May’s amendment in his explanation of the veto.
“Criminal non-support is a serious offense that should be treated as such,” Nixonsaid. “Allowing those who have been convicted of criminal non-support to wipe away all records of their offense is simply unacceptable.”
May disagrees with the governor’s reasoning.
“It wouldn’t ‘wipe away all records,” May said. “The records remain. The court retains the records, and law enforcement has access to those records. The amendment just allows men to say they do not have a felony on a job application without lying. If employers run their records, they will not see that they have a felony – if the fathers have paid off their arrears.”
A broader base
Nixon and May will have an opportunity to discuss this matter, at or before the September 11 veto session. Before then, they may have an opportunity to discuss May’s qualifications for the position of license collector. May has plenty to say in support of her competence.
“I have a background in administration. I have worked for AT&T for 15 years and been a steward for CWA (Communication Workers of America 6300),” May said. “I have an undergraduate degree (from Saint Louis University) in business with an emphasis finance, and a master’s degree in education (from Lindenwood University).”
Importantly, for a mainly administrative position such as license collector, May would not miss the maelstrom of politics that typifies the Missouri Legislature.
“The functions of running a citywide office do not concern me, the politics concerns me more than running the office,” May said. “I am not a not person who likes to play politics, but I am in politics. I like to help people. I like to make a difference for people. I like to see things succeed and run smoothly. Sometimes politics interferes with doing good. You have to deal with that in the Legislature, you have to always fight and cut a deal for what is good.”
That raises the question: what good can she or anyone do in the office of license collector, whose core function is collecting funds from businesses for their city licenses?
“I can do more good as license collector because I would have a broader base and staff,” she said. “As a legislator, I have bi-annual meetings with business owners in my district trying to help local businesses. This would give me a wider base to help businesses stay economically sound. Plus, I would have an administrative role over an office of employees, so I would play a dual role.”
Of course, it is not lost on her that she would be increasing her own political profile exponentially, going from one term-limited state rep out of 163 to a citywide official running a patronage office without term limits.
“Like everybody else, I have higher political aspirations as well,” May said. “A citywide campaign would give me broader exposure. It would expand my base as a rising community servant.”
Who stands in her way?
Who stands in her way?
Not veteran 18th Ward Alderman Terry Kennedy. He ducked out of consideration, reportedly not wanting to have to defend a citywide office in future elections.
Former city Democrat chair and voter-rejected treasurer candidate Brian Wahby reportedly tried to get his name to the top of the list, but Nixon would make a great many needless enemies if he replaced an African-American elected official with a white operative who finished last in a four-candidate citywide race and has very few defenders in the black community.
As for 16th Ward Alderman Donna Baringer, it would be almost as damaging for Nixon to replace a black official with a white alderman very few black people (who are not themselves aldermen) have ever heard of.
May is not the only African American vying for the appointment. Alderman Jeffrey Boyd, who also lost the treasurer’s race last year to Jones, has problems regarding this appointment. Unlike his constituents, who reliably vote against any black challenger to the mayor, Boyd is a reliable supporter of Mayor Francis G. Slay. It’s difficult to see why Nixon would flatter Slay while aggravating much of his black base in the city. Boyd also has a history of run-ins with the city police – for videotaping a disoriented constituent on the street in his underwear and for crossing police lines at the scene of the shooting of a friend – that should repulse the law-and-order governor.
Who cares who is license collector?
As for the “Who cares who is license collector?” faction, we aught to care. A citywide position is a political asset. Karla May may, or may not, be a future contender for a more meaningful citywide position, but she certainly is a competent and dedicated black Democrat and supportive colleague who knows where she comes from and wants what is best for her people. She would be an incumbent official with proven organizing skills and a strong work ethic – an invaluable benefit if Black St. Louis puts a viable contender on the ballot for mayor.
Let’s put this in terms the governor will appreciate. As license collector, Karla May would be another public servant from a new generation of leaders (she is 43) who will help strengthen the city’s Democratic Party by increasing voter participation in the base and also hopefully shape a better future for all of the citizens of St. Louis, and that would be good for Missouri.
As for May’s disagreement with Nixon over her child support felony expungement amendment, that should be no barrier to her getting this appointment, as far as May is concerned. She said, “It is easy to have a disagreement and not be disagreeable.”
