Friday, January 10, 2014
Bits in no order this morning…
Another Path For Bonding?
From an experienced hand: “If Rep. Chris Kelly and any of his allies try to put a billion-dollar bonding bill on the Nov. 2014 ballot, transportation advocates will not let that happen. Nor will they combine their issue with state buildings, thus dooming both issues. The best possible route for bonding proposal is to follow Governor Jay Nixon's example, and utilize “appropriation bonds.” which is, of course, entirely legal. Nixon did this for Fulton State Hospital. And then expand it to $500 or 600 million, thus not requiring any public vote. Senate might very well follow this path…”
Don’t Eat the Cookies?
Email blast from Missouri Right to Life: “Because Girl Scouts USA promotes, both directly and indirectly through other organizations, policies and behaviors clearly contradictory to the goals and purposes of Missouri Right to Life, Missouri Right to Life urges citizens to consider carefully whether to participate in Girl Scouts or support them in any way.”
Hospital Dodge Federal Cut - Again
Governing Magazine has an article about hospitals have been spared a massive cut to the DSH payments. Read it here.
Pull Quote: “Thanks to lobbying around the budget deal reached last month, the Disproportionate Share Hospital program dodged $500 billion in cuts in 2014 and another $600 billion in 2015. Without another successful lobbying effort, though, 2016 will come with a $1.2 billion cut to the program—up from $600 million—as the postponed reductions ratchet up the severity of future reductions.”
Nasheed Steps Down From Black Caucus Chair
Sen. Jamilah Nasheed has stepped down from her position as chair of the black caucus. Jo Mannies has the story. Read it here.
Pull Quote: “Sources say that some caucus members -- and Nixon -- were particularly upset over Nasheed's decision to allow Kinder, a Republican long at odds with the governor, to join her at the news conference blasting the governor over the tax credit issue.”
JMO Defends TANF Program Against Haters
Missouri Association of Social Welfare executive director Jeanette Oxford writing on the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City blog defends the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program. Read it here.
Pull Quote: As we settle into a new year, we would do well to practice what academician, theologian and civil rights leader Howard Thurman called, “the work of Christmas,” all year long. Rather than assuming the worst about persons who work in low-wage jobs or access public aid, what if we put our energy into the tasks listed in a Thurman poem:
“To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry….”
Help Wanted
The Show-Me Institute Seeks Development Director. “The Institute requires an experienced Director to help us double our resources over the next three years.” See the ad here.
New Committees
Stephanie Isaacson started a campaign committee to run for House 14 as a Democrat. That current incumbent is Rep. Ron Schieber. According to her Linkin profile (see it here), Isaacson is the owner of New Horizon LLC, an environmental services company.
As mentioned yesterday, Missouri’s Food for America committee was formed. It’s a PAC, and former state senator Wes Shoemyer is the treasurer. The deputy treasurer is Amanda Good. Good is the state director for the Humane Society of the United States. Missouri’s Food is expected to be a vehicle to push back against the “right to farm” constitutional amendment heading to the ballot in November.
$5K+ Contributions
MO Society of Anesthesiologists Political Action Committee - $10,000 from Ozark Anesthesia Associates Inc.
Missouri Roundtable for Life - $8,000 from Frederic Sauer.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $40,000 from Grow Missouri.
Norwood Township Democratic Club - $6,000 from J L Brown Contracting.
Lobbyist Registrations
From the Pelopidas website:
Kristen Blanchard added Axiom Strategies.
Christopher L Graham added Koch Companies Public Sector LLC and its affiliates.
Cassie Grewing added The Giddens Group, Michael G Winter, and Scherr Winter LLC.
Jessica Hodge added Best Friends Animal Society.
Timothy McDonald added Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Harvey Tettlebaum added Missouri Health Care Association, and Missouri Republican Party.
Tricia Workman added Missouri Primary Care Association.
Gregory K Yielding added Missouri Rice Council.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Senator Roy Blunt (64), Jaci Winship, Randy Jotte (54), and Carmen Schulze.
Saturday: Rep. Judy Morgan (66), and Scott Intagliata (53).
Sunday: David McCracken (33), Scott Largent, and Jim Ross.