St. Louis vows more abuse funds

St. Louis has an especially poor record of accumulating money that should be used for shelters for abused people, but not spending it, while turning away hundreds of people. Mayor Clarence Harmon has apologized for the situation and says it will be corrected. The City Estimate Board has voted to give the $300,000 to the domestic shelters and add to it another $212,000 already in the city budget for shelter services. State Auditor Claire McCaskill says the state needs to do a better job because shelters could get $4 million dollars in private money if they pursue this. She hopes the Department of Public Safety and the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic Violence work to increase awareness of the program.