Power Profile: Steven Roberts, State Senator
Most people who work in the Missouri Capitol come from a genuine, good place and are trying to do the right thing, according to Sen. Steven Roberts (D-5, St. Louis). That is why he puts an emphasis on listening and understanding both sides to an issue.
"I really try to understand the issue from all sides. To not just listen but make an effort to understand the perspective. I listen to understand," said Roberts, who serves as Minority Whip. He has even visited a fellow lawmaker's farm in southeast Missouri to better understand agricultural issues and obtain some hands-on knowledge.
A fourth-generation St. Louis native, Roberts' background is in law. After receiving his law degree from Pepperdine University School of Law, he joined AP Wireless Infrastructure Partners, LLC before returning to his hometown to serve as a prosecutor. His experience as a prosecutor prompted his decision to run for office - first for the Missouri House, then the Missouri Senate, and now U.S. Congress.
He is currently the managing partner of Roberts Law, LLC and serves as a Captain with the Missouri Air National Guard in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps.
As a lawmaker, he focuses on criminal justice reform, helping vulnerable populations, and improvements for Missourians. One issue he is pushing this year is a property tax freeze for seniors.
"In my district and across the state, we've seen great strides made in neighborhoods that have increased property values. However, that comes with a price, as rapidly increasing property taxes can price out senior residents who live on fixed and limited incomes," Roberts said. "By limiting the property tax burden those seniors face, they can remain in their family home they worked hard to maintain."
With proposed legislation in areas outside of his expertise, Roberts uses his listen-to-understand approach. He goes to the experts on all sides of the issues - those who have knowledge and are passionate about the subject matter - and gets their take on what the bill would do if enacted into law.
"One of the most rewarding parts of this job is to have experts on both sides of the issue take the time to educate me on the topic," Roberts said. It's an approach that has served him well, particularly when he served on the Utilities Committee in the House and SB 564 worked its way through the General Assembly in 2018.
That bill led to Ameren Missouri's Smart Energy Plan which, in the first three years of implementation, has resulted in $2.7 billion of investment in the energy grid, the creation of 4,600 new jobs, and the retention of 4,200 existing jobs. For example, St. Louis has a new substation in Florissant, which serves 8,000 customers. Sen. Bill White and Rep. Michael O'Donnell have filed bills to improve and extend the legislation beyond its Dec. 31, 2023 expiration.
"We need to make sure infrastructure – transportation, energy, cyber – is solid, secure and stable," Roberts said. Infrastructure is one of the reasons he is making a bid against U.S. Rep. Cori Bush. He pointed toward her 'no' vote on important legislation. "It is vitally important we have a U.S. representative that is focused on bringing people together and delivering results for our region. You can't just be against everything."