Residency Requirements in St. Louis
A controversy is brewing in St. Louis about whether residency requirements should stay in place for city employees. The city is talking about easing or eliminating city occupancy requirements for employees. The reason given for this line of thinking is that positions with city government have been too difficult to fill due to the residency requirement.
Community activists are opposed to eliminating the residency requirement. I believe that the community benefits from having certain types of city workers living in town. Police officers and teachers are two professions that come to mind. On the other hand, the whole question is irrelevant if you can’t fill the job. What about a compromise that does not make residency a requirement but gives preference to city residents in hiring. Written by Paul Dribin