Monday, December 15, 2014
MOScout Poll Crosstabs
Crosstabs from the weekly poll are up in the Special Reports. Find them here. I didn’t find the results on toll roads (people skeptical) or campaign finance (broad support) surprising, but I was shocked at the gloom registered by the right track/wrong track question. A mere 15% of Missourians think things are on the right track. This is after years of steady gains in the jobs market. I look back at a survey I did near the start of the year, in February. The right track then was 45% and the wrong direction was 50%, so these numbers are truly registering the despair. I imagine it is the reaction to the Michael Brown shooting and the aftermath.
Chesterfield Suing on Pooling
The St. Louis Business Journal reported on Friday that the city of Chesterfield are filed a lawsuit targeting the county’s sales tax polling arrangement. See it here.
The day was coming. As cities have evolved away from their original design – Chesterfield now was a booming retail business in the flood plain – there has been grumbling about the old classifications. However changing the set-up has the downfall of creating winners and losers, and insomuch as potential losers can band together they can often maintain the status quo – legislatively.
But now the courts may get involved…
Cancer Polling
Someone’s in the field asking about public policy issues related to cancer. After running through the preparatory questions – how often you vote, age, race, right track, Nixon approve, Legislature approve – the heart of the survey was asking about specific proposals.
They were: an increase in funding for women’s cervical cancer treatment; funding an initiative called “Show Me Healthy Women;” prohibiting individuals under the age of 18 from using a tanning bed; an increase in palliative care; increasing funding to help folks quit smoking; banning all indoor smoking; and allowing municipalities to pass more stringent smoking restrictions than state law.
And the Cig Tax Group Keeps Working
Last Friday, Raise a Hand for Kids meeting was hosted by the Kansas City Chamber at Union Station and there were 100+ people in attendance. Rep. TJ Berry was in the audience and stood up and publicly told the crowd he was the sponsor of HB 253 and supported Kraus' tax cut bill and that he is on record in the KC Star in support of a tobacco tax increase.
Niendick to Mizzou?
Word is that Courtney Niendick will start in January as the Assistant Director of Government Affairs for the University of Missouri system. Niendick was previously policy director for Speaker Tim Jones.
Howard to Harder
And the final member of Jones’ staff, Chris Howard, has signed on to be the legislative assistant to St. Louis County Councilman-elect Mark Harder.
eMailbag on What Nixon Should Do
“If they really want to do something to help the disadvantaged parts of the St. Louis Region, the elected Democratic officials, state and local, could pressure the Governor into releasing the money that the Governor is holding back for the McKee North-side Regeneration Project. I could almost guarantee that 200 jobs for residents of the development area alone would be created within a few months. Sad situation that Nixon goes out the door like an ill wind. So many past stellar statewide victories, and he collapsed like a two-dollar suitcase under pressure… Some think doing nothing is the answer to most situations; in this case not so.”
eMailbag on Marcel to Schupp
“Violet Marcel is a top notch staffer who does the work and is very smart. That is a big ‘get’ by
Jill Schupp. They will do very well in the senate and it bodes well for Schupp that she hired a true legislative professional and not some campaign floozy with no experience in the building...”
What To Get the Person Who Has Everything
Lobbyist Registrations
Rose Marie Hopkins added RL Polk & Co, and Sonny’s Solid Waste Service Inc.
Ann Mattingly added Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization; and deleted Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc.
$5K+ Contributions
Friends of Tom Schweich - $5,100 from John Woodside.
Citizens for Brice Stewart - $12,300 from Brice Stewart.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $6,200 from Citizens for Hinson.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $10,000 from Citizens for Torpey.
Friends of Rick Stream - $25,000 from Lewis & Clark Ozarks Mountain Forum.
Happy Birthday
Happy birthday to Ric Telhorst (the big 6-0!).