51黑料

Several community groups vocally opposed the streets legislation, Bill 86. It would have unfairly targeted pedestrians, residents with disabilities and homeless people, according to groups such as the ACLU, disability rights organization Paraquad and the pedestrian advocacy nonprofit Trailnet. All three groups urged Page to veto the bill, which would have allowed for ticketing violators.

Stephanie McDowell, a 44-year-old resident of Maryland Heights who is blind, worried the bill would have made it harder for her to travel because bad sidewalks often aren鈥檛 passable for visually impaired people. She was excited about Page鈥檚 decision.

鈥淚t makes me feel like sometimes people do listen,鈥� McDowell said.

The bill鈥檚 sponsor, Republican County Councilman Ernie Trakas, said Tuesday he was 鈥渙utraged鈥� that Page vetoed the bill. He called it a public safety measure to keep people safe from traffic. Municipal residents can benefit from local ordinances in their cities, but residents of unincorporated 51黑料 County don鈥檛 have that option, he said.

鈥淗is veto of the bill is a slap in the face and shows his utter disregard for the people of unincorporated 51黑料 County,鈥� Trakas said.

But Page said at a morning news conference that, while the bill came with good intentions, the county 鈥渃annot punish our residents for walking in the street.鈥�

鈥淧edestrian safety is a concern, but making it illegal to walk in the roadway is not the answer,鈥� Page said at the county government building.

The tobacco bill, Bill 73, would have reversed a 2019 rule to phase out tobacco sales within 1,000 feet of a school.

But the county health department director, Dr. Kanika Cunningham, was critical of the move. Reversing that rule, she said, would put primarily young, Black people at risk of becoming addicted to nicotine because retailers are concentrated in their communities. Cunningham praised Page鈥檚 decision.

鈥淲e appreciate Dr. Page鈥檚 leadership in vetoing a measure that would have weakened our ban on selling tobacco products near schools,鈥� she said in an emailed statement.

Page said he decided to veto the bill because it passed without additional protections to prevent children from buying tobacco. Several of the businesses that petitioned the council to reverse the rule had been cited in recent years for selling tobacco to underage kids.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 let this happen at the expense of our children,鈥� Page said.

The bill鈥檚 sponsor, Democratic Council Chair Shalonda Webb, has said the rule makes some businesses practically impossible for their owners to sell. Gas stations without tobacco licenses, for instance, are worth significantly less than those with licenses, business owners told the council earlier this month.

Webb said opponents of the bill were playing 鈥減olitical games that don鈥檛 do anything for anyone.鈥�

鈥淭his veto does nothing to keep our children safe from smoking. It just pacifies the loud screams of those who look to make an issue of anything that pushes their agenda forward,鈥� Webb said in a prepared statement.

Councilman Mark Harder, a Republican from Ballwin, supported Webb鈥檚 bill and said he was disappointed in Page鈥檚 decision. Convenience stores are sometimes a community鈥檚 only option for groceries, and making business hard for them doesn鈥檛 benefit anyone, Harder said.

鈥淲hen you put these constraints on small business, they鈥檙e going to go away and find somewhere that鈥檚 friendlier to small business,鈥� Harder said.

The seven-member County Council could try to override Page鈥檚 vetoes, but it would take at least five votes. The two bills each passed 4-3 with staunch opposition.