Friday, March 8, 2013
Rumorville: Pearce for Treasurer?
Apparently it’s not too early to start floating names for 2016… One rotunda source says that Sen. David Pearce is looking at state treasurer. He’d be term-limited then, as would be the current incumbent Clint Zweifel.
Republicans are anxious to find viable statewide candidates after the slaughter of 2012. Pearce would be considered a moderate by some – especially in comparison to the 2012 slate which featured Todd Akin and Ed Martin. This should be a selling point for his candidacy. Yet it seems improbable that Pearce could freeze out a right-side challenge without some top-down muscle to prevent primaries.
Cleaning the In-Box
Polsinelli drops Shughart… The firm name is now just plain Polsinelli. Read it here.
“Perhaps the reason for the discrepancy in fiscal estimates of the Senate’s tax cut bill is that Sen. Will Kraus only goes out three years for a 5-year phase in program. Whereas the MO Budget Project accurately goes out 5 years.”
In Senate 24, Sen. John Lamping’s cash on-hand is $7,929. This summer one would expect he will start building a war-chest for his re-election in 2014.
“It’s Pro Tem Tom Dempsey who’s ‘sitting’ on SB207. Not Sen. Brad Lager. The Pro Tem decides when bills go on the calendar, not a committee chair.”
“The people who want Medicaid expansion are not happy that Sen. Kurt Schaefer is having a hearing on Sen. Paul LeVota’s bill… they know what is going to happen; it will be voted down.”
“Sen. Scott Sifton was supposed to hold the floor (in the tax cut debate) and didn’t… may not be ready for primetime. But it is early.”
In the daily Utility War press releases… FERAF hits Ameren on their good year: “In 2012, the Missouri Public Service Commission authorized Ameren to collect a generous 10.2% profit margin… However, financial data filed by Ameren Missouri shows that the company actually received around an 11.48% profit from Missouri customers in 2012. Under current Missouri law, Ameren customers will be unable to receive a refund for this $70 million in overearnings by Ameren. The best customers can expect is for rates to not go up as much in future rate cases…”
More Jesuit Grads!
The list continues: ATT President John Sondag (SLUH), former PSC Chairman Kevin Gunn (SLUH), and current PSC Chairman Robert Kenney (DeSmet). And Both Gunn and Kenney are grads of SLU Law School, as if Sen. Eric Schmitt…
Lobbyist Registrations
From the Pelopidas website:
James C. Bowers, Jr. added Craig Porter.
John A. Young added Dardenne Realty Company, City of Dardenne Prairie, and Schiermeier Quarry Inc; and deleted SCGC LLC.
Keith Hazelwood deleted Schiermeier Quarry Inc.
Mark H. Levison deleted Berry Grant Company, Republic Services Inc, Airport Taxi Council LLC, and HNTB Corporation.
Jorgen Schlemeier deleted Care Management Technologies.
Richard A McIntosh added Morphotrust USA
$5K+ Contributions
Missourians for Fair Taxation - $30,000 from Missouri Association of REALTORS.
MO Republican Party - $10,000 from AT&T.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Laura Barlow Winter (Saturday).
Sunday: Eddy Justice (the big 4-0), St. Louis City Treasurer Tishaura Jones (41), former Rep. Luke Scavuzzo (57), Shawn Bell (27), and Matt Jessee.