ST. LOUIS -- A former state senator from St. Louis has a new job in a familiar venue -- Missouri's Statehouse, where he has been tapped to help lobby for his hometown's interests, including a proposed state subsidy for a new Cardinals baseball stadium.
John Scott, the Democrat who retired from his 3rd District seat in October, will join former state Rep. Brian May, also a Democrat, and former assistant St. Louis city counselor Rodney Boyd in pushing the Cardinals stadium matter, among other things on Mayor Francis Slay's agenda.
Picked by panel
The three lobbyists, who together will be paid about $150,000 a year, were chosen recently by a city committee over four other applicants for the lobbying contract, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Thursday.
This year's session opens next Wednesday.
Slay spokesman Ed Rhode said the decision to choose Scott and the two other lobbyists was based on experience and presumed effectiveness -- not on price. And with Boyd, who is black, the group has minority representation, Rhode said.
Jeff Rainford, Slay's chief of staff, said the three also will be allowed to lobby for other clients, except for "anything that's even remotely considered a conflict" with the city's positions.
Scott, May and Boyd will pay most expenses out of their $150,000 fee, Rhode said.
Harmon used mix
Slay's predecessor as mayor, Clarence Harmon, used a mix of full-time city employees, including Boyd, and contract lobbyists in Jefferson City.
Rhode said the $150,000 fee for the three-member team is less costly than the $150,000 plus benefits together earned by David Sorden and Ann Auer, two former full-time Harmon aides involved in lobbying.
Paying activist
Still, the city under Slay is paying $36,000 to longtime Democratic activist Louis Hamilton to lobby the local Board of Aldermen for the city's development agencies -- a new expenditure.
Meanwhile, a firm headed by James Brown will continue to represent Lambert Airport and city development agencies in Jefferson City and Washington under separate contracts totaling up to $677,000 a year.
Boyd, in addition to hi work with Scott and May, will be paid by Brown to do some of his state assignments. Hamilton's work also will be through Brown's firm.
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