Monday, April 15, 2013

Aint Gonna Be No Primary?

Says someone in the know… “All the Schaefer, Schmitt, Jones drama is simply drama for the uninformed. All 3, plus several others, have been quietly talking for months. No "Tier 1" GOP candidates will run against each other in 2016. Lessons have been learned & there will be plenty of open spots. Time will tell, but that is what will happen.”

And

Speaker Tim Jones and Approps Chair Kurt Schaefer will unite for a joint press conference today to voice again their DOR grievances.

This Week

Senate Appropriations continues to work through the budget bills.  See notes here.

Tuesday will be mayhem in the building as the pro-Medicaid expansion folks will descend on the Capitol.  One estimate – apparently emanating from OA and being circulated among the lobbyists’ grapevine – has the expected crowd estimated between 2,300 to 2,600.

Wednesday the chambers may break early for the legislative softball tournament.  However with forecasts calling for storms to rumble through, that may get cancelled, opening up a work night for the legislature.

Five weeks left, the big issues need to show some movement.  It seems like the bonding issuance, and transportation sales tax have gone underwater for the past few weeks.   It looks like the tax will get out of committee this week, so then we’ll see when they hit the House floor.

The Senate is said to be readying to take up prevailing wage.  But will ISRS finally get floor time this week? 

And when does Medicaid expansion get its public debate?  The consensus is that it’s not happening this year, but a legislature which can find time to pass non-binding resolutions should also be able to give some time to the central healthcare issue of the year.

Reminder

We’re entering the season of session where things are declared dead.  A rule of thumb is that a bill has to “die” at least five times before it actually is “dead,” and even then, keep watch…

Nixon Nixes The Partial

Governor Jay Nixon put out a statement saying that he will veto ending the renter’s portion of the circuit breaker if it’s not part of broader tax credit reform.  See it here.

Issue Development on Cowboy Caucus?

Sounds a little wacky, but I guess there a good reason for the House to have an “Issue Development Standing Committee on Cowboy Caucus on Agricultural Issues.”  See it here.  Has thirty members, so must be some pretty heavy lifting going on there…

Schmitt Contra DESE

Sen. Eric Schmitt continues his denouncement of DESE foundation formula distribution.  Tweet: DOR violation of law is another example of growing list of unelected bureaucrats gone wild.  See @MOEducation (DESE) and illegal dist of $.

NYTimes Bits

Tax Day Thought… you think you had a good year in 2012?  Here are some fellows who made ten-figures…. A few of them even beat the market… See it here.

Missouri makes the NYTimes for its arming of teachers… See it here.  Pull Quote:  “As federal and state legislators continue to debate gun control and school safety measures in the months after the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., communities around the country are wasting little time taking safety issues into their own hands. Some schools have hired armed guards. Others have implemented buzzer systems at their doors.  Very few have gone so far as training teachers and other faculty members to carry weapons, and support for such measures seems to be lukewarm. Bills to allow school employees to arm themselves are stalling in most of the roughly two dozen states where they were introduced this year.”

And a kind of distressed land assemblage is happening in Detroit’s core.  Read it here.  Pull Quote:  “The villains are the rules of the game… Developers find it far more profitable to build in farmland in the suburbs than in vacant land in the core. It’s easier to acquire big sites without worrying about hidden basements, or gas stations, or a reputation for violence, or corruption or inefficiency or the potential racism of your customers.”  It makes financial sense for developers, but it is disemboweling the city, he said. Which is why he believes that without reform to housing and development laws, neither Mr. Gilbert nor the emergency manager, nor any combination of earthly forces, can salvage Detroit.

Other Bits

Rep. Jay Barnes announced that his Government Accountability Committee will begin an investigation into Missouri’s reported practice of off-loading welfare recipients into the federal disability program.  See it here.

Greater Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus announced that Courtney Cole has been appointed executive director.

Feast Magazine seeks “food-loving editor.”  See it here.

New St. Louis aldermen get sworn in tomorrow.  That means an end to Quincy Troupe’s political career today, as he lost his last election in the March primary…

Lobbyists continue to pile into the franchise bill battle… See lobbyist registrations below.

Senate Hearings of Interest

GAFO Committee, Monday 3:30PM, SCR1

Fair number of higher-profile bills in Governmental Accountability and Fiscal Oversight, including Scott Rupp’s New Markets reauthorization, and Will Kraus’ welfare fraud bills.

Appropriations Committee, Monday Upon Evening Adjournment, SCR2

Continuing their markup of the budget bills.  See notes on the Senate website here.

Economic Development Committee, Wednesday Noon, Senate Lounge

Ryan Silvey’s Qualified Research Expenses tax credit bill and Jamilah Nasheed’s film production tax credit bill.

House Hearings of Interest

Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee, Tuesday 8am, HR3

Dave Schatz’ bill to require a prescription for pseudoephedrine.

Transportation Committee, Tuesday Noon, HR7

Mike Kehoe’s 1-cent sales tax for transportation will get its hearing and exec-ed.

Ways and Means Committee, Tuesday 5pm, HR1

Executive session on Will Kraus’ big tax bill.

Lobbyist Registrations

From the Pelopidas website:

Mark J Bruns, Gary Burton, Andy Foley, Jim Foley, and Don Soph added Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.

Shanon M Hawk added PWSD #2 of St. Charles County, MO.

Steve Jackson and Joseph Thompson added Glazer’s Family Companies.

Scott Swain added Advantage Capital Partners.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Rep. Ira Anders (71), and former Reps. Jonas Hughes (34) and Scott Muschany (47).