Monday, May 7, 2012
Special Report: Democratic House Primaries
The Special Report on Democratic House primary races is up. See it Here. It’s about 80-pages. There will be updates – especially after session when elections take center ring. But this is a useful reference with information about the new districts which can’t be found anywhere else. You are encouraged to print it out or download it for future reference.
Budget
For all the worrisome hand-wringing, things could go smoothly with the budget this week. (Famous last words).
This morning (10am) the conference committee is expected to get most items “closed.” But then they will go “on hold” until they see what the Senate does. In particular, House conferees will not sign a version of the budget banking on a bill to fund the vets home until there’s an actual bill passed.
If that sounds easy, here’s the problem: no trust. Missourinet’s article (Read it Here) has Rep. Ryan Silvey saying that the House sent their vets bill to the Senate twice; and Pro Tem Rob Mayer saying he’s unaware of any message from the House. Translation: someone’s lying.
Still, there’s no good reason the Senate shouldn’t be able to pass their bill and things to move forward. (Famous last words, did I say that already?)
Education 2013-2014
House Observer: “When you look at the education issues facing the House and Senate this year and in coming years, it is hard not to think that the time for change in education will be next year, rather than this year.
“Although you will be rid of the two biggest champions (Rep. Scott Dieckhaus and Sen. Jane Cunningham) but you will have Rep. Tim Jones in the speaker’s office and Sen. Tom Dempsey in the pro tem’s office.”
“With foundation formula adjustments being the most important issue to the rural districts, they just may be willing to allow some REAL change if it only affects the unaccredited schools, but the financial situation needs to get pretty bad for them before they cave in. That could occur in the next couple of years…”
Education 2023-2024
It’s only five minutes, go ahead and read David Brooks’ NYT column about higher education’s on-line future. Read it Here.
Pull Quotes: “What happened to the newspaper and magazine business is about to happen to higher education: a rescrambling around the Web… Online learning could extend the influence of American universities around the world. India alone hopes to build tens of thousands of colleges over the next decade. Curricula from American schools could permeate those institutions. Research into online learning suggests that it is roughly as effective as classroom learning. It’s easier to tailor a learning experience to an individual student’s pace and preferences. Online learning seems especially useful in language and remedial education... My guess is it will be easier to be a terrible university on the wide-open Web, but it will also be possible for the most committed schools and students to be better than ever.”
Bits
Four Freedoms Democratic Club of Kansas City endorsed Crystal Williams in Senate 7, and Jeremy LaFaver in House 25.
Payday loan and minimum wage petition signatures were submitted to the secretary of state’s office just before the deadline Friday. Read it Here.
Last week KWMU interviewed Congressmen Lacy Clay and Russ Carnahan. Listen to it Here.
Candidate Withdrawals
Donald Long withdrew from House 55. He was the Democrat challenging incumbent Rep. Rick Brattin. Brattin is now unopposed – in both the primary and the general election.
Ed Rolwes withdrew from House 101. He was the Republican challenging incumbent Rep. Don Gosen. Gosen is now unopposed – in both the primary and the general election.
Lobbyists’ Principals Changes
From the Pelopidas website:
Charles Ballard deleted Agape Boarding School.
$5K+ Contributions
Clean Water STL - $19,064 from Schnuck Markets Inc.
Missouri Health Care Association PAC - $7,000 from SNF Management Services.
Missouri Health Care Association PAC - $25,000 from National Health Corporation PAC.
Pearce for Senate - $5,005 from Committee to Elect Ron Richard.
Romine for Senate - $5,005 from Committee to Elect Ron Richard.
Interesting Contributions
Vitale for Missouri - $2,500 from Rio Vitale.
Vitale for Missouri - $1,000 from Damon Vitale.
Oxford for Senate - $1,000 from Jerry Schlichter.
Contributions Exegesis
The contributions from Ron Richard’s committee to Republican senate candidates might be an indication that the rumors of Richard seeking a senate leadership position next year are true. More likely he’s just being a good team player. (His campaign committee had $267K on-hand.)
Rio Vitale is starting to gather family money in his primary challenge against Rep. Mike Colona. He’ll be out-fundraised and out-spent in that race.
Civic leader – and architect of the historic tax credit program – Jerry Schlichter decides to play in Senate 5, eschewing incumbent Sen. Robin Wright-Jones. Schlichter, by the way, will share a stage with Governor Jay Nixon this morning as his “Arch Grant” program announced $750K in grants to entrepreneurs.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (60), Rep. Don Phillips (61), and Megan Hermanson.
MOScout News
Well, it’s been about five years now since I started Missouri Scout. My wife has petitioned for a vacation where the morning doesn’t start with me pecking at the keyboard at 6am. So… I’m taking off in June. No MOScout June 18 – 22.