“Yesterday’s floor debate was not about the St. Louis Zoo. Rather it was about two important subjects: tax increases and abortion sanctuary cities. While I had various amendments to the tax hike bill, some serious to protect the citizens in my district, others were senatorial banter meant to point out the irony of the recent action of the Board of Aldermen in the City of St. Louis. The zoo naming amendment was obviously the latter, which I did not offer or intend to amend onto Senate Bill 47. The St. Louis Zoo has been and always will be an award-winning, world class attraction for the state of Missouri. Recently though, the Greater St. Louis Metro area has been inundated by a feeding frenzy of tax increases, and it was time that someone said no. Yesterday the Missouri Senate said no. Unlike some in the Senate who have used the filibuster to obstruct the peoples’ business, I fully intended to let the tax increase come to a vote. My discussion on the Senate floor was completely intended to shine a light on the disservice that St. Louis City did to the people of our region by banning their freedom of speech and religion in making St. Louis an abortion sanctuary city. I am hopeful that by bringing attention to this, the Board of Aldermen will reconsider their unconscionable action. If they fail to reverse their stance, the Legislature is prepared to take action to protect the people of Missouri and the First Amendment.“ – Senator Bob Onder