Friday October 11, 2013
St. Louis Archdiocese Sends $300K to School Tax Credit Proposal
The St. Louis Archdiocese contributed $300,000 to a new committee, Missourian for Children’s Education, which will support the ballot initiative to create a tax credit to aid education.
See the proposal below.
It would create a tax credit for (among other things) donations for scholarships to students to attend parochial schools. In St. Louis where Catholic schools have faced increased financial strain, this could be a fresh source of aid.
The Catholic Conference also contributed $11,216 to the committee. Perhaps an in-kind donation of resources.
The treasurer for the new committee is Jim LePage. He’s a former Cole County Auditor who ran in the 2004 Democratic gubernatorial primary (against Bob Holden and Claire McCaskill) as the pro-life candidate. (He took 2% of the vote).
Ballot Question
Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:
Create a tax credit for donations made to nonprofit corporations that provide funds to improve programs in public school districts, provide scholarships for students to attend qualified private or parochial elementary or secondary schools, or support special education services for children;
Limit the tax credit to $50,000 annually per individual or business entity, and cap the entire credit at $90 million annually; and
Repeal any constitutional provisions that prohibit taxpayer funds from being used to aid private or parochial elementary or secondary schools that qualify for the funding in this measure?
Any decrease in state revenue will depend on the redemption of tax credits issued related to this proposal, initially limited to $90 million per year. Increased annual state operating expenses are expected to be initially about $120,000. Each individual school district will experience an unknown annual change in revenue.
Schweich Files October Quarter
Auditor Tom Schweich filed his October campaign finance report. He raised $280,572; spent $67,583; and has $505,947 on-hand.
It’s an okay quarter especially considering I’d estimate that his potential Democratic opponent, Rep. Jay Swearingen, will come in around a tenth of that amount raised.
Still, it’s not Koster territory. Attorney Chris Koster raised twice as much last quarter and isn’t up for election until 2016.
Rumorville: Hall in Trouble in Senate?
One lobbyist believes that Daniel Hall’s nomination to the Public Service Commission is not a gimme. The root of the issue – we’ll see whether it’s so much as to sink his appointment – is that some legislators feel Hall wasn’t completely honest with them at times during his years as Nixon’s legislative director. We’ll see…
Rumorville: Stenger in on Tuesday?
Rumor is that St. Louis Councilman Steve Stenger will officially announce his bid for St. Louis County Executive on Tuesday next week.
It’ll open up a primary with incumbent Charlie Dooley…
Bits
Sen. John Lamping’s CBS interview got a reprise on The Daily Show last night. See it here.
US Senator Roy Blunt aired his frustrations with the strategery of the Republican House during the ongoing government shutdown/debt showdown. See the Beacon’s article here.
Help Wanted
Judge Alok Ahuja of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District in Kansas City is seeking applicants for a full-time law clerk beginning August/September 2014. Judge Ahuja's law clerks serve two-year terms. Salary in the mid-$40k range. See it here.
Boone County seeks a Director of Community Services who coordinates department activities & services with other public and/or private organizations & ensures conformance with federal, state, & local regulations. Negotiates & administers contracts; prepares & administers grants; participates in coalitions, task forces, & other community groups… See it here.
The Missouri Budget Project seeks a Policy Director to provide leadership on strategic policy advocacy, government relations, and developing relationships with diverse stakeholders; and an Outreach Coordinator to design and implement a comprehensive outreach strategy to inform and motivate diverse "grasstops" audiences around state policy issues. More information is available at: www.mobudget.org.
$5K+Contributions
Missourians for Children’s Education - $11,216 from Missouri Catholic Conference.
MO Cattleman’s Association – $7,000 from Missouri Cattlemen’s Association.
Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $7,447 from Missouri Auto Dealers Association.
Missourians for Children’s Education - $300,000 from Archdiocese of St. Louis.
Lobbyist Registrations
From the Pelopidas website:
Matthew Block, Jeffrey Brooks, Cynthia Gamble, Bill Gamble, Troy Stemming, Sarah Topp, Jorgen Schlemeier, and Victor Scott deleted Ameristar Casinos Inc, and added Pinnacle Entertainment Inc.
Michael W Mills deleted Spectrum Consulting Group LLC, and State Fair Community College.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Rep. Jeanne Kirkton (60), and MO Budget’s Jay Hardenbrook (34).
Saturday: The incomparable Dave Chilenski, and Mavis Busiek.
Sunday: Reps. Linda Black (34) and John Mayfield, and Laclede Gas’ Larry Pleus (52).
Condolences
To Congressman Bill Long on the death of his father.