St. Louis Mayor invited to talk hiring freeze in hearing [Video]

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) – KMOX has obtained a copy of a letter sent to St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones and her staff by Alderwoman Cara Spencer, inviting them to March 10th’s Budget and Public Employee Committee meeting.

The board wants to ask questions about the hiring freeze on non-essential employees implemented by the Mayor last week.

Alderwoman Spencer says the mayor has previously rejected an invitation to a meeting to discuss the earnings tax, citing the litigation it’s under.

“Our goal [with the meeting] was not to talk about the legal aspects but to talk about what the city is doing to fill a potential budget hole.” said Spencer.

When enacting the hiring freeze, Mayor Jones also cited the Board of Aldermen passing a bill making changes the the Firefighter pension.

Alderwoman Spencer calls the projected budgetary impact of that bill “speculation.” Spencer tells KMOX she isn’t sure what response she’ll get from the Mayor’s office, citing a lack of communication.

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