Federal judge issues scathing order in Green's police takeover suit
A federal judge issued a scathing order in Megan Green's police takeover suit filed against Missouri, writing that "first-year constitutional law students" are taught that states enjoy sovereign immunity under the U.S. Constitution's 11th Amendment.
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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
St. Louis plans $30M, Missouri $100M for tornado relief. How will they spend it?
ST. LOUIS – Three weeks after a devastating tornado tore through St. Louis, destroying thousands of homes and buildings, urgency is growing to secure the financial support needed to recover and rebuild. It remains unclear when and how much federal aid may be available for St. Louis. However, on a local and state level, two plans are gaining momentum to help mobilize major funding for recovery efforts. Those plans – one from the City of St. Louis and one from the State of Missouri – aim to inject tens of millions of dollars, upwards of nine figures, into the recovery process. If both plan are ultimately approved, how will the money be used to aid St. Louis in tornado recovery? To extents, that's still to be determined, but the city's and state's new bills offer some early clues. Proposed through St. Louis Board Bill 31 (Primary sponsor: Megan Green) On Friday, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen formally introduced Board Bill 31, which calls to allocate $30 million from the the NFL Rams relocation settlement toward a 'tornado relief and recovery fund.' The fund would be maintained by the city treasurer and exclusively available toward services and resources considered part of the tornado recovery effort. 'Eligible uses' under the bill include: Providing services to 'prevent homelessness and displacement' for homeowners impacted by the tornado, such as home repairs, temporary housing, help with insurance deductibles and storage of personal belongings. Repairing tornado-damaged public infrastructure, such as streets, sidewalks, water systems, lighting and trees. Providing residents with financial and legal support through an 'Impacted Tenants Fund.' Matching funds for federal or state grants tie to infrastructure and housing recovery. Providing money to nonprofits for critical tornado-response gaps in staffing, shelter, technology and warehousing. Procuring goods and services eligible for FEMA reimbursement. Compensating city staff and administrative costs related to disaster response (capped at 5% of fund annually) The bill aims to prioritize underinsured or uninsured households. It also outlines 26 neighborhoods or landmarks as 'impacted areas' eligible for assistance through the relief fund, mainly in northside and westside neighborhoods. The bill expresses that the aid must be used to help impacted people, properties or public infrastructure and may not be used for personal expenses. Proposed through Missouri 2025 Special Session Senate Bill 1 (Primary sponsor: Lincoln Hough) At the state level, lawmakers have proposed $100 million for a Missouri 'disaster relief fund,' a key component to a broader $360 million emergency spending package (Senate Bill 1) passed by the Missouri Senate on Thursday amid the ongoing special legislative session. The bill authorizes the Missouri Department of Public Safety to distribute funds to 'any city not within a county' – a phrase that applies solely to the City of St. Louis – for disaster-related expenses. Though the bill doesn't outline exact uses, it ties funding to Gov. Mike Kehoe's request for a presidential disaster declaration. Kehoe's request includes FEMA individual assistance to support temporary housing, housing repairs, and replacement of damaged property and vehicles, among other things. With that in mind, it's possible the $100 million could cover the following such services or resources: Emergency response Cleanup and debris remobal Housing, shelter and storage assistance Infrastructure repairs Out-of-pocket expenses related to storm damage The funds would be available for use between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026 and must comply with Missouri constitutional guidelines for emergency expenditures. The broader spending package would also authorize $25 million in emergency housing assistance, though that's not directly tied to the $100 million in tornado-specific funds. Both proposals – the city's and the state's – still need full approval. The St. Louis board bill would require a series or reviews and approvals from the Board of Aldermen and Mayor Cara Spencer. The Missouri special session bill still needs to clear the House before it could possibly be sent to Gov. Kehoe for review. With uncertainties on timing and dollars still looming with federal assistance, these local and state bills could represent some of the largest coordinated public investments in recovery since the May 16 St. Louis tornado. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Yahoo
Property Tax rebate approved for tornado victims
ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Board of Aldermen approved a bill to provide tornado victims with a property tax rebate. Friday morning, the board passed board bill 24 to help ensure that homeowners who lost their home in this month's tornado will get some property tax relief. Their taxes will be eligible for a pro-rated rate. Another bill, board bill 23, was on the agenda for final passage, but it will now be held until Tuesday after being amended earlier this week. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Board Bill 23 would provide rental assistance to tornado victims through the city's Impacted Tenant Fund. The board of aldermen has met three times this week to discuss this bill. 'Typically a board bill from start to finish takes about a month, but this board is showing how we are moving diligently, and we are moving quickly,' Ward 14 Alderman Rasheen Aldridge said. Even if passed, though, it is unknown how many people will benefit. The funding for the rental assistance program sits at $100,000 right now, with another $160,000 expected to be allocated in the coming weeks. 'We are working with the budget director and the administration to identify other potential funding sources we can pull from in order to get more money into that fund. I think everybody recognizes that $260,000 is not going to be enough,' Board of Aldermen president Megan Green said. Jacqueline Hines has owned her home on Page for 18 years. The back wall of the brick house collapsed in the tornado. She says she is grateful for all of the relief options being considered, but until she knows she qualifies, she is not waiting around. 'Until then, we still have to keep going. I still need stuff to be moved and I'm not waiting on nobody. So if anybody needs a job, I'm hiring because I'm not sitting on this porch for the sun. It already burned me,' she said. If Board Bill 23 is approved on Tuesday, the city still needs to implement an application process. It is unclear exactly when renters would be able to apply for relief. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Yahoo
Federal judge throws out claim against treasurer's office related to unclaimed property
SPRINGFIELD — A federal judge has rejected a Longmeadow man's lawsuit against the state treasurer's office. In a memorandum and order March 25, Judge Mark G. Mastroianni of the U.S. District Court in Springfield wrote that plaintiff Thomas Narrigan lacked standing to seek relief. He also said the way Narrigan pled his case 'is barred by the Eleventh Amendment,' which exempts state officials from being sued. Narrigan's case against Treasurer Deborah G. Goldberg claimed the state wasn't paying him adequate interest on his less-than $100 in unclaimed property, described in court documents as 'miscellaneous intangible property' and 'refunds.' Massachusetts has over $3 billion in unclaimed property. The treasurer's office has returned more than $787 million in unclaimed property to its owners in the last five years. Narrigan has not 'sought to claim any of his property,' said the judge's March memo. In August, Narrigan pleaded with Mastroianni not to dismiss his case after the state filed a motion to dismiss. Narrigan's lawyers, Edward A. Broderick of Boston and Chicago attorneys Terry Rose Saunders and Arthur Susman, filed a class action lawsuit in January 2024 hoping to recoup money for all those with property held by the state — not just Narrigan. Susman said they filed a notice of appeal on April 22 in the First Circuit. The attorney general's office declined to comment. Mastroianni found that Narrigan did not sufficiently demonstrate the 'injury,' nor was he able to show a pattern or that the injury would recur. The plaintiff, the memo said, does not 'bolster this allegation of past harm by indicating he intends to abandon property in the future, intends to claim his property from the government, or is otherwise likely to suffer a similar taking in the future.' Narrigan, the judge found, instead argues that his harm is ongoing because the commonwealth still has his money. 'Plaintiff 'cannot manufacture standing merely by inflicting harm on (himself) based on (his) fears of hypothetical future harm that is certainly not impending,'' the memo said. As for the 11th Amendment question — of sovereign immunity — the state did not waive its immunity, Mastroianni said. State law provides a way for a property owner to 'obtain just compensation' in court for property that is taken by the state, he said. The judge said his conclusion regarding 'injunctive relief' may have been different if Massachusetts refused to pay the interest when returning unclaimed property, he said. 'As a matter of law, (Narrigan)'s property was not taken. It was abandoned through his own neglect,' he said. Motion to suppress alcohol evidence in deadly Longmeadow crash allowed 'Access to cancer care matters': Physicians discuss advancements in cancer care and technology Springfield makes grants available for agencies serving low and moderate-income residents Trump administration rescinds grant to address asthma in Western Massachusetts Read the original article on MassLive.
