Sam Page says ending 'Great Divorce' is popular. But getting St. Louis and St. Louis County together won't be easy.

·42 min·4 clips

St. Louis County Executive Sam Page just proposed ending the 150-year 'Great Divorce'—and the reaction is shockingly positive.

The episode opens with host Jason Rosenbaum introducing the day's political news in Missouri. The first segment discusses the retirement of Republican Congressman Sam Graves from Missouri's 6th District, analyzing how redistricting and a competitive primary could impact the seat. Political science professor Jessica Gracie notes the district remains Republican-leaning but more competitive without an incumbent. The conversation shifts to the core topic: St. Louis County Executive Sam Page's surprise proposal to bring St. Louis City back into St. Louis County as a municipality. Page reports that community reaction has been surprisingly positive, with about half of respondents open to the idea. Guest Joe Blanner, an attorney and expert on the city-county split, joins to discuss the historical context. He explains that past unification efforts have failed, and this incremental approach—city reentry—is the most moderate ever attempted. Blanner details potential benefits, like reducing competition between jurisdictions, but cautions that studies show mergers often increase per-capita spending rather than save money. The discussion delves into political obstacles, including concerns from Black leaders about diluted representation and Republican worries about shifting the county's political balance. Blanner clarifies the Board of Electors process for facilitating such a change, which stalled in 2019. The episode then previews upcoming municipal elections, with education reporter Hiba Ahmed covering school board races in St. Charles County. She describes how culture war issues like book challenges and property tax caps have made these elections contentious, with two slates of candidates backed by opposing PACs. Ahmed highlights a student-led forum where only half the candidates participated, reflecting the divisive nature of the debates.

As heard by us

A city-county idea runs into petitions, appointments, committees, and the limits of procedure.

St. Louis city-county consolidation gets a careful procedural read, focused less on the sales pitch than on the machinery that would have to move first.

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Why you'd press play

You want the St. Louis city-county question without the campaign fog: how an idea moves through petitions, appointments, and a board that can stall before it ever reaches voters.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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