Friday, December 6, 2013
Special Session Bits
The House is expected to pass the Boeing tax breaks easily today.
In committee yesterday Rep. Caleb Rowden mentioned a fear that Boeing’s subsidy on the BUILD program could double from 5% to 10% if it locates in a “distressed area.” Rep. Jay Barnes had been circulating numbers earlier in the week casting doubt that the project could ever “pay for itself” with the 10% number. However this fear hasn’t taken root among other legislators, as it sailed through the committees yesterday.
From the St. Louis Business Journal’s editorial this morning: “One could argue more was accomplished in three days on the floor of the Senate than in the last three years. That’s an overstatement but not by much… It would be great, however, if the legislative and executive branches could behave as well for the rest of us as they have for Boeing.”
The special session brought the withdrawal of Daniel Hall’s nomination to the Public Service Commission. That puts the PSC back down to three members.
Justice Files Complaint Against House Dem Committees
Eddy Justice, a Republican activist, filed a complaint with the Missouri Ethics Commission against the House Democrats’ campaign committees.
The complaint alleges some relatively minor violations – a contribution to House Democratic Victory Committee recorded 20 days before the committee paperwork was submitted. And a missing contribution from HDVC to Charlie Dake on their 8 Days Before report.
But the complaint which may be more potent involves book-keeping troubles which vexed the Dems’ old campaign committee, House Democratic Campaign Committee. This includes their previously disclosed discrepancy of $47,000, as well as an on-going dispute they have with one of their old mail vendors, Mad Dog Mail Inc.
This isn’t new news, but the Justice seizes on statements by Mad Dog’s attorney about HDCC checks that bounced. These checks were reported as expenditures on HDCC’s reports. But if the checks bounced, they were “expended,” and it calls into question the veracity of those reports.
If the MEC digs into the paper trail of what one imagines are sloppy and incomplete records, there may be more revelations to come which would embarrass Democrats. We’ll see…
Justice is emerging as a player in Missouri state politics. About a year ago, he was thrust into the spotlight with Jo Ann Emerson’s resignation. He ran the subsequent process to nominate her successor through the congressional committee of which he was chairman.
Bits
Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal has backed up her twitter fire against DESE Commission Chris Nicastro with a pre-filed bill enable the Senate to remove her with a two-thirds vote. See the bill here.
Gov. Jay Nixon “activated the State Emergency Operations Center for 24-hour a day operations in response to a winter storm system that threatens to bring freezing rain, sleet, snow and ice to much of Missouri.”
St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley kicked off his re-election campaign. See the St. Louis Beacon article here.
And if you wondering… the President of the United States and I use the same smartphone. See it here.
Help Wanted
Polsinelli seeks tax credit finance associate. “The associate would work on a wide range of transactions involving federal and state tax credits, with a focus on federal new markets tax credits, federal low income housing tax credits, federal renewable energy tax credits and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits.” See the ad here.
eMailbag: Two Views on Schaefer Vote
Reader 1: “In response to the observer remarking how dumb Kurt Schaefer’s vote on the Boeing carve out. As someone who has worked in GOP politics and on the east side of state as well, I doubt Schaefer is lying awake at night worried about the likes of RCGA, Civic Progress… I’d take being against a special carve out for a big corporation any day in a GOP primary.”
Reader 2: “Surely you know that besides Kurt Schaefer trying to ‘act’ like a conservative, after finding out the governor agreed to reduce the low income housing tax credits in exchange for cooperation, Schaefer chose to protect his special interests and donors in Columbia, big recipients of those tax credits.”
Lobbyist Registrations
From the Pelopidas website:
John E Bardgett Jr and Kim Tuttle added SGS.
Brian J. Grace added Zimmer Real Estate Services LLC.
Brian Prestwood added Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives.
Lynne M Schlosser deleted McCoullough Schlosser Consulting.
Kelvin L Simmons and John Temporiti deleted Veolia Water North America Operating Services LLC.
John C. Cozad deleted Educational Services of America, and Pelopidas; and added Gate Way Group.
$5K+Contributions
Citizens for Steve Stenger - $5,001 from I.U.O.E Local 513 Political & Educational Fund.
Birthday
Happy birthday to Joe Bednar (the big 6-0).
Saturday: Sen. Kiki Curls (45), Rodney Hubbard (41), and Churie Spreng (37).
Sunday: Patrick Bonnot.