License Collector Mavis T. Thompson, who was appointed to the position by Gov. Jay Nixon last October when Michael McMillan resigned to take leadership of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, face a challenge in the August 5 Democratic primary.
As a competent incumbent in a citywide seat that is typically treated as a fiefdom in local politics, she faces a highly unusual primary challenge, not only from within her own party, but from within her own North St. Louis base.
Her challenger, Alderman Jeffrey Boyd, was endorsed (over the Democratic incumbent) by Mayor Francis Slay before filing even opened. Thompson subsequently was endorsed by both members of the African-American majority on the city’s Board of Estimate & Apportionment, Comptroller Darlene Green and aldermanic President Lewis Reed – in addition to Treasurer Tishaura Jones, who defeated Boyd to win her seat.
Thompson has a fascinating professional background. With graduate degrees in both nursing and law, she has worked as a staff nurse, head nurse, clinical nursing instructor, assistant attorney general for Missouri, senior associate in a law firm, solo legal practitioner, president of the National Bar Association and (most recently) as a referee on the state Unemployment Appeals Tribunal.
But she has always gravitated to public service. She served for six years as the city’s first female circuit clerk in the 1990s, then became the first African-American female to serve in two different citywide elected offices when Nixon appointed her license collector. The St. Louis American spoke with her about the office of the license collector, what she has done to improve it and why Mayor Slay got involved in her primary.
The St. Louis American: Give me your elevator pitch for what the office does and why it matters.
License Collector Mavis T. Thompson: The license collector licenses all businesses that are located in the city of St. Louis. There are 17-to-20,000 businesses operating legally in the city, and they must be licensed to do so. They also must pay an annual tax. We collect those funds, which average $50 to $60 million per year.
Of that, 2 percent goes to the operation of the office, and the rest goes to general revenue to pay for such things as police, fire, streets, parks, museums, libraries. And so whether or not you own or operate a business, the money that we collect benefits the general public in services provided through general revenue.
The American: What have you done to improve the office?
Mavis Thompson: One thing we have focused on is to make sure we keep businesses in the city. We have been holding briefings to keep business owners abreast of emerging issues that impact them. In December of last year, we hosted one on the impact of the Affordable Care Act on small businesses. In March we did another on tax preparation. In May we did one on how to increase bonding and financing capacity for MBEs, DBEs and WBEs. On July 22 we are hosting one, sponsored by David Steward of World Wide Technology, on the manufacturing industry.
We also have focused on employee development. A large part of what do is customer service, so we initiated and implemented a cross-training program where folks in the office can work in other aspects of the office, so we all know what everybody does. Everyone is cross-trained in all aspects of the duties in the office.
Also, the pamphlet that explains what we do in the office is now printed in Bosnian, Spanish, Vietnamese and braille. We want make sure our office is accessible to anyone who wants to open a business, and looking at the changing demographics in the city, we thought we needed to change how we print that explanation in different languages.
For the first time the license collector’s office drafted a comprehensive business closure policy. If you are late paying your license fee or taxes, you receive 30-day and 60-day notices. Between 90 and 100 days, we go out with the police to issue a summons that gives you 30 days to start paying delinquent fees, or you have to go to court within those 30 days and the judge will decide your fate, whether your business should remain open or be shuttered.
We want to make sure rogue businesses are brought into compliance, so we have hired a compliance officer who for the first time has the duty to go out on evenings and weekends, because typically we see folks who are not licensed open up after hours to be out of the public eye.
I feel all these things we have done will help improve the business climate in the city, help them to create more jobs for citizens and improve the economy here in the city, which also relates to safer neighborhoods and better schools.
The American: Mayor Francis Slay endorsed Jeffrey Boyd against you – an incumbent – before filing even opened. What do you see as Slay’s role in this campaign?
Mavis Thompson: His role was he endorsed my opponent.
The American: What do you think was his motive in endorsing someone against an incumbent in his own party?
Mavis Thompson: I have not spoken to the mayor, so I cannot speak on or address his motives. All we know is he has endorsed someone against a sitting incumbent.
The American: Boyd filed against a fellow African American when there were two white citywide incumbents on the same ballot. Why do you think he did that?
Mavis Thompson: Same answer. I have not spoken with Mr. Boyd about his motives. The way I feel about the democratic process is everybody has the right to run.
The American: Do you think Slay and Boyd were trying to create a black-on-black political rivalry?
Mavis Thompson: I am not sure you can include the mayor in on any motive Mr. Boyd may have. My general philosophy is that anyone can run, but I have no idea why Boyd chose to run for license collector rather than another citywide office.
The American: What issues separate you from Boyd?
Mavis Thompson: I already have citywide administrative experience, and I am an incumbent who has been working in the job since October 2013. I am a lawyer, and the importance of that is the license collector’s office was created by ordinances and statutes, and I am able to interpret those ordinances and statues. Also, I have won citywide in the past, as circuit clerk.
The American: People often vote their gender. Do you have a message to get the votes of women?
Mavis Thompson: I am reaching out to all citizens. I am a citywide elected official, and so my constituency includes all demographics.
The American: Do you think the office should be elected or appointed?
Mavis Thompson: Citizens should make the decision, whether it’s elected or appointed. It should not come from a legislative body. Let the citizens vote and decide.
The American: How is the campaign going?
Mavis Thompson: Very well. We picked up a lot of momentum within the last month.
The American: How do you gauge that uptick in momentum?
Mavis Thompson: By the number of visits and calls we’re receiving at campaign headquarters.
The American: What are people saying or asking?
Mavis Thompson: People are asking how they can help by contributing or volunteering.
The American: How can volunteers help?
Mavis Thompson: They can go online to mavisthompson.org or can call campaign headquarters at 314-531-VOTE (8683).
The American: What field campaign do you have running?
Mavis Thompson: Our field campaign goes out every evening from 6 to 8 and p.m. every Saturday morning from 9:30 to noon. Anyone who wishes to join us can meet us at 4061 Dr. MLK Drive at Sarah.
