Thursday, May 29, 2014
Here Comes Cap and Trade
This may become another ObamaCare-esque battle in Jefferson City with Republicans battling back what they see as an intrusive Obama Administration…
New York Times reports that President Barack Obama “will use his executive authority to cut carbon emissions from the nation’s coal-fired power plants by up to 20 percent, according to people familiar with his plans, and will force industry to pay for the pollution it creates through cap-and-trade programs across the country….
“Cutting carbon emissions by 20 percent — a substantial amount — would be the most important step in the administration’s pledged goal to reduce pollution over the next six years and could eventually shut down hundreds of coal-fired power plants across the country... and is certain to be met with opposition from Republicans who say that Mr. Obama will be using his executive authority as a back door to force through an inflammatory cap-and-trade policy he could not get through Congress.
“People familiar with the rule say that it will set a national limit on carbon pollution from coal plants, but that it will allow each state to come up with its own plan to cut emissions based on a menu of options that include adding wind and solar power, energy-efficiency technology and creating or joining state cap-and-trade programs…”
Schweich’s Driveway
KSDK reports that Auditor Tom Schweich, acting as a common homeowner and not as a statewide officer-holder, is disputing Metropolitan Sewer District’s actions with regard to his home.
Schweich sent a letter to MSD agreeing to allow the repairs under three conditions and he says he's willing to work out a compromise.
MSD says it's contacted 80,000 homeowners and only one is making these types of demands.
Nixon Signals Vetoes
Governor Jay Nixon signaled more vetoes yesterday as he declared several bills passed on the final day of session to be budget busters.
“While this Friday free-for-all will benefit a select few special interests, its far-reaching fiscal impact has thrown the budget dangerously out of balance. From special breaks for fast food restaurants to power companies, the only thing these giveaways have in common is that they were not accounted for in either the state budget or in the budgets of the cities, counties, and fire districts they would affect. By going on a $776 million special interest spending spree, members of the legislature have broken their own budget, and I’m prepared to fix it.”
Nixon offered a “grid” costs to the various tax credits and tax breaks. See it here.
The Missouri municipal League sent an “action alert” to its members asking them to “urge” Nixon to veto SB 584, SB 693, SB 662 and SB 612.
Municipal League’s Deputy Director Richard Sheets writes that he and Dan Ross “met with State Budget Director Linda Luebbering, and members of the governor’s staff and a number of municipal officials participated in a conference call yesterday regarding several bills that would significantly diminish municipal sales tax revenues if they become law.” He attached a city-by-city breakdown of the costs.
Speaker Jones: Not So
Missouri House Speaker Tim Jones said the governor has again resorted to half-truths and hyperbole to attack the tax relief efforts of the Missouri General Assembly…
“These are much-needed clarifications to our tax laws that will prevent the governor from exceeding his authority by unfairly collecting more taxes from our employers who create the family-supporting jobs that drive our economic engine. Business leaders around our state have made it clear they are greatly displeased with the way the chief executive has chosen to narrowly interpret many of our existing tax exemptions so that he can collect more of our tax dollars to further grow the size of government.”
Roe: 6-Week Early Voting Initiative Will Miss Signature Number
AP’s David Lieb has the story that Jeff Roe is predicting that the Democrats’ initiative petition will fail to hit the required number of signatures. Read it here.
Pull Quote: Republican consultant Jeff Roe, who operates Kansas City-based Axiom Strategies, said his firm used a state Sunshine Law request to receive a sampling of the petition pages submitted to the secretary of state's office. That sample equaled 10 percent of the petition pages for many counties but was higher in some, such as St. Louis city, and lower in others, such as St. Louis County.
Based on the number of signatures on those sampled petitions, the firm projected that supporters gathered way more signatures than needed in the 1st District in St. Louis and the 5th District, which extends eastward from Kansas City. Roe projected that the number of valid signatures could fall short of the threshold in four other districts - the 2nd in suburban St. Louis, the 3rd in east-central Missouri, the 7th in southwest Missouri and the 8th in southeast Missouri.
"It appears from our research that they did not qualify" for the ballot, Roe said.
We’ll see…
Bosley: Watch Normandy
In his Quit Playin’ column in the Evening Whirl, former St. Louis Mayor Freeman Bosley cast skepticism that the State Board of Education’s actions toward the Normandy School District are benevolent.
“This is another hidden agenda here too. With this action the State Board also gets a windfall of cash by seizing Normandy’s money and dissolving the district. They get to issue new contracts and jobs to friends and cronies. Look closely at the relationships of Missouri Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro and the new people coming in. She will load the new district up with carpetbaggers and people that she knows. People that haven’t been involved in an urban community and are qualified to carry Dr. Ty McNichols briefcase…”
Fundraising Calendar
Today’s fundraising events from Mary Scruggs’ indispensable events calendar:
Speaker Tim Jones Reception – The Gardens of Mal Maison, St. Albans – 6-8 p.m.
Sen. Wayne Wallingford Reception – Steve Tilley’s home, Perryville – 6:00 p.m.
Lobbyist Registrations
From the Gate Way Group website:
Christine M Page deleted St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association; and added Missouri American Water.
David Barklage deleted Ameristar Casinos.
David Barklage and Michael Hafner deleted Missouri Association of Manufacturers.
David Kirby deleted Missouri Attorney General’s Office.
$5K+ Contributions
Committee In Support of Public Educators - $15,000 from Northwest MSTA Region.
Missourians for Safe Transportation & New Jobs Inc - $10,000 from EFK Moen LLC.
Missouri’s Food for America - $25,000 from Thomas Smith.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Schaaf’s Chris Dunn, Damon Porter, and former Reps. Cloria Brown (72) and Glenn Klippenstein (77).