Thursday, February 7, 2013
ACU Goes Anti-ISRS
The American Conservative Union has sent a letter indicating that they will oppose SB207 and use votes on the matter when they rate legislators.
From the letter:
“We believe the recent proposal by electric companies to add a brand new surcharge to Missouri’s businesses and hard-working families’ electric bills will be a key litmus test for conservatives this year. We plan to include any key vote on this proposal in our 2013 legislative ratings.
“SB207 is nothing more than a tax increase on business and government once again picking winners and losers. Missouri’s electric companies are government granted monopolies and are not real businesses in the sense that they have no competition and are guaranteed a profit by government regulators…”
What it Means
This will hurt the legislation’s chances with Republicans – particularly in the House where legislators tend to be more fussy about how well they’re fitting into an ideological framework.
The utilities’ strategy is to start in the Senate where legislation can more easily get clogged. It’s received a relatively good receptivity there. The bill is co-sponsored by the president pro tem, and floor leader as well as the chairman of the relative committee (Sen. Brad Lager’s Commerce).
If they can pass it out of the Senate by spring break, they’ll really have plenty of time to work on the House – especially the leadership. That’s where the battle will lay.
For example, one observer thinks this letter boxes in Speaker Tim Jones, a conservative’s conservative. Jones has already spent some of the credibility with the bonding issue – which amounts to deficit spending. But the bonding issue would go to a vote of the people. Can he also back what ACU is calling a “tax increase?”
And
A recent Gallup poll puts sensitivity to energy prices as highest among American’s list of economic worries. See it here.
Missouri Times: Janitors Drinking Legislator’s Booze
“Representative Keith English knew there was a problem each Monday when he returned to the capitol and found his liquor cabinet containing a little less in each bottle than he left in them the past Thursday...” Read the great liquor mystery here.
Right to Work
Hearings on the “right to work” proposal were packed yesterday. But in the hallways most observers think the real labor battle this session will be over paycheck protection.
Jones Bits
The press release: “Speaker Tim Jones has been named to the National Executive Committee of the Republican Legislative Campaign Committee, an organization founded in November 2002 which is dedicated to electing more Republicans in state legislatures across the nation.”
The campaign solicitation:
“Friends, I need your help. The national liberal media, including The Huffington Post and Chris Matthews of MSNBC, are attacking me for standing up to the dangerous Obama agenda.
You can help me send a message to these liberals that Missouri will not back down in the fight against federal overreach, taxation and tyranny.
Please contribute $10, $25, $50, or any amount you feel comfortable giving to my campaign by the end of this week.”
Bits
Monett Times reports on the special election for House 157: “Mike Moon, of rural Ash Grove, was selected to run against Democrat Charles Dake for the Missouri House of Representatives by the Republican 157th Legislative District Committee during a meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 5.” Read it here.
Don Ruzicka, having been confirmed, hands over some remains of his campaign account to HRCC. See $5K+ Contributions below.
E-tailers’ global commerce hit $1 trillion mark in 2012. Read it here.
“Attorney General Chris Koster and Secretary of State Jason Kander joined federal and state authorities seeking to hold Standard and Poor's accountable for alleged misconduct involving the company's rating of Mortgage-Backed Securities at the heart of the nation's financial crisis.”
More states are seeing the wisdom of moving forward with the Medicaid opportunity. Ohio’s the latest, and given that their governor was formerly the Chair of the House Budget committee, it’s notable. Read it here.
Lobbyist Registrations
From the Pelopidas website:
James C. Bowers, Jr. added William C and Teresa A Rice, Industrial Wrecking Co, Brent Owens, and John Thurston.
Benjamin C DeClue added St. Louis Association of Realtors.
Scott Marrs added Bass Pro; and deleted Missouri National Guard Foundation, and National Mining Association.
Kimiko Narita added Natural Resources Defense Council.
James Harris deleted Dominion Voting Systems.
Thomas W McCarthy deleted Lake Ozark Marine Dealers Association, Freedom Bonding LLC, and Vigilant.
John C. Cozad deleted City of Grandview Missouri.
$5K+ Contributions
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $5,498 from Ruzicka for State Representative.