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| Better Together (Missouri) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Better Together (Missouri) |
| Formation | 2010s |
| Type | Coalition |
| Headquarters | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Region served | Missouri |
| Leader title | Executive Director |
Better Together (Missouri) is a statewide civic coalition based in St. Louis focusing on regional collaboration, public policy reform, and community development across Missouri River-adjacent metropolitan areas. Founded by civic leaders, nonprofit executives, and municipal officials, the organization has engaged with elected figures, philanthropic funders, and advocacy networks to influence infrastructure, taxation, and municipal consolidation debates in St. Louis County, Jackson County, and other jurisdictions. Its activities intersect with civic groups, labor organizations, and academic institutions across the state.
The coalition emerged in the aftermath of high-profile governance debates involving St. Louis County officials, Clayton, Missouri municipal leaders, and regional planners from institutions such as Washington University in St. Louis, University of Missouri, and Saint Louis University. Early organizers included board members drawn from nonprofit groups similar to United Way of Greater St. Louis, civic reformers with ties to Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, and municipal consultants who previously worked with UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs-style urban policy programs. The group gained visibility during state-level discussions parallel to legislative actions at the Missouri General Assembly and during ballot campaigns in municipalities influenced by political figures like Mayor Francis Slay and Governor Jay Nixon. Over time, Better Together engaged with regional planning agencies such as the East-West Gateway Council of Governments and partnered with philanthropic actors reminiscent of the Kresge Foundation and Ford Foundation.
Better Together articulated goals to promote interjurisdictional cooperation among cities and counties, encourage consolidation or shared services similar to proposals seen in Atlanta and Minneapolis, and advocate for equitable service delivery comparable to initiatives promoted by National League of Cities and Brookings Institution. The mission statements echoed priorities from civic networks such as Smart Growth America, Urban Institute, and Center for American Progress, focusing on fiscal sustainability, infrastructure investment akin to projects funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, and community engagement modeled after practices used by Local Initiatives Support Corporation.
The coalition structured itself as an umbrella organization with an executive director, advisory board, and working groups reflecting models used by organizations like America Votes and Coalition for Community Schools. Leadership comprised former municipal administrators, nonprofit executives, and university-affiliated policy researchers, collaborating with legal advisors familiar with precedents set by cases adjudicated at the Missouri Supreme Court and administrative rulings from agencies such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Advisory members included trustees and philanthropists who had served on boards of institutions like Regional Business Council and corporate civic programs connected to businesses headquartered in Kansas City and St. Louis.
Initiatives included public education campaigns, technical assistance for municipal consolidation proposals, and pilot projects addressing services such as police oversight, parks management, and regional transit planning analogous to efforts by Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Sound Transit. Programs partnered with academic centers focused on metropolitan studies at University of Missouri–St. Louis and with civic data platforms similar to those developed by Pew Charitable Trusts and Data USA. The coalition organized forums with participation from elected officials, nonprofit leaders, and representatives from unions like American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees to deliberate on shared-service models and tax-base sharing proposals akin to reforms debated in Denver and Cleveland.
Funding streams blended philanthropic grants, donor-advised contributions, and project-specific contracts, drawing parallels to support mechanisms used by Annie E. Casey Foundation and Carnegie Corporation. Partnerships were forged with regional civic organizations, academic research centers, and advocacy networks comparable to PolicyLink and Center for Neighborhood Technology. The coalition received in-kind support from legal firms, consulting groups, and community foundations similar to Missouri Foundation for Health and collaborated with municipal governments, quasi-governmental agencies, and business associations including chambers of commerce in St. Charles County and Jefferson County, Missouri.
Better Together engaged in advocacy around municipal consolidation referenda, tax structure reforms, and regional planning processes, influencing public discourse in ways echoed by campaigns led by MoveOn.org and local chapters of national groups such as AARP. The coalition’s research briefs and testimony were cited in hearings before bodies like the Missouri House of Representatives committees and in op-eds in regional outlets comparable to St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star. Documented impacts included convening cross-jurisdictional task forces, contributing to revised interlocal agreements, and informing state legislators’ deliberations on statutes affecting county boundaries and municipal charters.
Critics accused the coalition of advocating for proposals that could dilute local control or favor suburban fiscal interests, echoing debates seen around consolidation efforts in Chicago and Los Angeles County. Opponents included neighborhood activists, municipal officials, and political figures who argued that some policy recommendations resembled models promoted by corporate-backed reform groups or out-of-state consultants. Controversies involved disputes over funding transparency, endorsements of specific ballot measures, and tensions with labor unions similar to conflicts reported between reform coalitions and organized labor in other metropolitan regions.
Category:Civic organizations based in Missouri