MOScout Daily Update: Baker in Senate 19? - Stenger to Yankton - Holsy's Drug Price Committee - Parson Roll-Out Continues - Early Childhood Fund in STL? and more...

Rumorville: Baker In Senate 19

I heard an unconfirmed rumor that former Rep. Judy Baker has decided to jump into the Senate 19.  She’d be in a primary with Michela Skelton.

·         Shorthand in the district has Baker representing the “old school” activists of Senate 19, and Skelton the “new school” or “Bernie crowd.” 

·         This clash explains why they couldn’t reach an accommodation to put forth a single unified candidate.

·         Team Rowden seems to be watching with amusement.  A Democratic primary will have the candidates spending their funds and aiming their barbs at each other.  That should ease his re-election.

RX Transparency Committee

At the Prescription Drug Transparency Interim Committee hearing, the committee heard presentations from PhRMA and PCMA – the trade associations for the pharmaceutical drug makers and the pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The committee plans to hear from the insurance companies and the pharmacists later.

Sens. David Sater and Bill White took turns hitting the PBM industry for the high cost of drug prices. They told both the pharmaceutical industry and PBM industry that they want to see data on their revenues and profits so that they can analyze whether they are earning a reasonable profit.  Chairman Jason Holsman said that he wants to compare it to the regulated utility industry, where 10% is considered a reasonable profit margin.

And

From one former Republican staffer...   Discussions of what is a "reasonable" profit for private companies and their executives to make took place among sitting Republican Senators. A total abdication by Majority Leadership and a clear message to Missouri's business community—thanks for the support, but we are not the GOP you helped elect anymore.

Stenger to Yankton

Post-Dispatch reports that Steve Stenger will “report to a federal prison camp in South Dakota on Sept. 21… The minimum security camp in Yankton — a town of about 14,500 on the Missouri River — is almost 600 miles from St. Louis, and houses 479 inmates on a former college campus…”

This is where former Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders is.  Sanders gets out in April so there’ll be a little overlap between the two former county executives.   

As far as prison goes, this assignment is the best one can hope for as reported on the prison talk website. One poster says, “in Yankton, the prison is in the middle of town and the inmates are actually allowed to walk around the town at times.”

Betts Kick-off

St. Louis City Sheriff Vernon Betts kicks off his re-election campaign today.  Expect hundreds at the event tonight.  

5:30PM-8PM at the Ready Room, 4195 Manchester in St. Louis.

Early Childhood Proposal in STL?

On the heels of Kansas City’s failure to advance a tax support early childhood education, St. Louis is exploring something similar.

They’re polling now to weigh the public’s appetite for additional taxes for a new early childhood fund.  It would cover both St. Louis City and St. Louis County.

I’m told that the group is led by Katie Rahn.  She’s the executive director of SouthSide Early Childhood Center.

They’re imagining a sales tax or property tax to fund the initiative.  But in their polling, they’re also testing alternative revenue sources like a tax on prepared foods, a tax on companies’ revenues, and a tax on marijuana.

Additionally, they’re trying to determine how the fund could be structured, managed and administered in a way that’s efficient, but also gives the public confidence that the tax dollars are being well-used.

Parson Roll-Out Continues

Team Parson continued their roll-out…  “Governor Parson received the endorsement of over 125 Missouri Republican officials including Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick, Attorney General Eric Schmitt, Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, House Speaker Elijah Haahr…”

What It Means

·         After the big rally and a wave of big checks, now come the near unanimous endorsement from the Republican supermajority in the legislature.

·         It’s a professional roll-out, that shows Team Parson has been plotting out and executing their re-election methodically.

And

Among the few state representatives who strangely chose not to endorse their sitting governor: Reps. Phil Christofanelli, Justin Hill, Tom Hurst, Tony Lovasco, Mike McGirl, Mike Moon, Randy Pietzman, Shane Roden, Bryan Spencer, Dan Stacy, Jared Taylor, and of course, Jim Neely.

Finally

Missouri made the Well Regulated Militia twitter-feed again.  See it here.

Help Wanted

Home Builders Association of St. Louis & Eastern Missouri seeks Asst. Staff V.P. for Public Policy.  “Position expected to work well with team-oriented public policy staff, interact with government/business sectors, and complete some administrative responsibilities. Must be able to coordinate and lead meetings effectively and carry out necessary follow-up…”  See the ad here.

New Committees

Ryan Jones formed a candidate committee (Friends Of Ryan Jones) to run for House 115 as a Republican.  The current incumbent, Republican Rep. Elaine Gannon, is termed.

$5K+ Contributions

MO Opportunity PAC - $10,000 from Spire Missouri Inc.

Uniting Missouri PAC - $10,000 from Blackford and Suzanne Brauer.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Rep. Steve Helms, Drew Dampf, and Sam Brownback.