Phil Amato: Ward 3 City Councilman Candidate

Phil Amato provided the following information.

Biography: Phil Amato is a former 5-term City Council member who was first elected in 1980. He served four consecutive terms beginning in 2001. Amato was Mayor Pro Tem in 1982 and from 2002 to 2006. He was appointed to the Jefferson County Library Board for the past 20 years, served on the Arnold Food Panty Board of Directors for the past 5 years, and is Chairperson for the Committee to establish the Library District and Recreation Center.

What is your plan to deal with expected budget constraints in the City of Arnold?

Local media reports that almost two thirds of all Cities in the metropolitan area are nearly broke.  The worst economy since the great depression and the City of Arnold is building commercially on almost every corner.  The City of Arnold by law must keep almost two million dollars in their savings account fund balance for budgetary short falls and emergencies.  The City of Arnold’s savings account fund balance is over five million dollars even after questionable wasteful spending.  Building the new Shopping Centers and implementing the redevelopment plan has put the City in a good financial picture for the future. 

What areas of Arnold need to be improved to attract businesses and industry and why?

The areas of improvement to our City have been under way with the implementation of the redevelopment plan that was initiated during the Powell Administration.  This initiative has brought a strong tax base and jobs to our City.  The final piece to be implemented is the “Home Town Study” that will revitalize the older section of Arnold from the Highway 141 intersection at Jeffco Blvd north to the Meramec River. This will bring additional retail sales tax driven businesses. Industry brings in vital jobs but little real estate tax for the City.  The School District runs on real estate taxes but the City’s largest revenue source is sales tax.  Without sales tax revenue the City would die!  Before 2001 the City of Arnold was realizing a 6% increase per year in sales tax growth.  After Gravois Bluff’s was built in Fenton not only was our City loosing the 6% increase but sales tax revenue began to decline.  Within a decade the City of Arnold would have become Lemay or Crestwood if trends were not reversed.  Three areas were identified for redevelopment and consultants were hired to implement the plan.  Unfortunately, Shopping Center Developers could also read balance sheets and income statements.  Our City was not negotiating from a position of strength and the Developers were non-negotiable on property acquisition or they would not build.  Our consultants advised us to demand and limit them to a 12% profit cap on their return on investment.  They finally agreed but it was like cutting off your arm to save your life.  Today in the worst economy since the great depression our City is still opening up stores and continues to add jobs and a great sales tax base. Building those shopping centers was the right decision and saved our City for now and the next generation. 

What are your priorities in office and why?

I am a fiscal conservative and believe in having ideas to solve problems not throw money at them.  My priority would be to make sure Arnold’s new found wealth not be wasted.  If a City employee’s salary and fringe benefit package exceeds 60% of the total overall budget, services to the people are in jeopardy.  I would also like to identify companies that are expanding and convince them to locate in our City.  Every tax dollar brought into the City by business and industry relieves the tax burden on the people.  Free trash which is provided by shoppers coming into our City and spending sales tax dollars will be a number one priority.  Free trash for the people needs to come off the top of the budget before the liberals and the bureaucrats get their hands on the tax money.  I would also like to find a way to stop all the hate that has manifested itself in the last few years.  This is not the community I fell in love with fifty years ago.  If we do not stop the madness our incorporation pioneer’s dream of building a great City will die!

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