Wednesday, November 21, 2012
DOE Funding Skips MO – For Now
The long-awaited decision from the Department of Energy for funding of commercial production of small modular reactors (SMRs) went to Tennessee’s Babcock and Wilcox Company, not Missouri’s Westinghouse-Ameren partnership. Read it here.
Supporters of the SMR industry in Missouri were quick to keep hope alive however. They noted that there would be another round of funding for which the Westinghouse alliance will compete.
“Missouri brings great strength to this competition such as a skilled workforce, strong academic institutions, utility alliance, current Callaway nuclear site and central geographic location and strong bi-partisan support from our legislative leaders - - these are just a few reasons why Missouri is well positioned for the SMR opportunity… We must continue to bolster our strengths if we want to capture the transformational economic opportunities that the SMR industry represents.”
St. Louis Alderwoman Launches Fight On Secret Money
St. Louis City Alderwoman Lyda Krewson has filed a bill to require the disclosure of donors to non-profits which spend or contribute money in city campaigns. Read the bill here.
“Any not for profit entity organized or operating under 501(c)4 or 501(c)6 of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States making aggregate expenditures or contributions in excess of $500 in support or opposition to a candidate for mayor, comptroller, president of the board of aldermen or a City of St. Louis ballot measure shall file a donor disclose report. The donor disclosure report shall be filed with the Board of Election Commissioners within 48 hours of making such expenditures or contributions. The report shall detail the name, address, employer, or if self employed, the occupation of each donor to the not for profit entity. The initial report shall list such donor information for the prior one year period. After subsequent aggregate expenditures or contributions in excess of $500, an additional donor disclosure report is required within 48 hours providing donor information since the last report. Any not for profit entity failing to file a required donor disclosure report shall be liable for a civil penalty equal to the amount of its aggregate expenditures and contributions plus $500. Any candidate or ballot measure campaign receiving a contribution from a not for profit entity that has not filed a required disclosure report shall return such contribution. This section shall not apply to not for profit entities that file donor information reports under Chapter 130 RSMo.”
It seems pretty straightforward and uncomplicated. One wonders if it will be a model for a similar proposal from Jefferson City next session.
You Are What You Learn
School choice lobbyist Katie Casas argues for a school specific ratings system. Read it here.
Pull Quote
“I'm willing to bet that no one reading this column would ever knowingly eat in a restaurant that had received anything less than an A rating from the local health department. I am also willing to bet that no one would see the logic in rating a city's restaurants collectively rather than on their individual merit. And lastly, I'm sure that my readers would not approve of a rating system that was not universally understood by all potential patrons.”
Health Exchange War Continues
The Post-Dispatch, in an odd twist, says that Republicans should design the state’s health exchange. Read it here. There’s no argument from the paper why the conservative majority in Jefferson City would do a better job than the Obama administration.
eMailbag: Obama Angry?
“Was SMR stiff arm a message from President Barack Obama to Governor Jay Nixon and Missouri Democrats: Next time get your picture taken with me?”
eMailbag: Where Nixon Learned His Craft
“Dave, the chief executive detached and aloof from the legislative process that you described was an absolute echo of Jefferson City more than 20 years ago. When Democrats had big state legislative majorities, then-Governor John Ashcroft was maddening in his games pointedly refusing to engage on legislation until it hit his desk and he vetoed it, or claiming that he was for something all along and was pleased to sign it.
“Thanks to term limits, fading memories and deaths, those days may be forgotten to all except career bureaucrats, booze-brined lobbyists and a handful of veteran working news reporters like Virginia Young and Bob Priddy. They well remember Ashcroft bounding into his office news conference immediately after session adjournment with a big checklist of legislation mounted on an easel. Ashcroft grabbed a thick Sharpie and proceeded to check off the bills that passed as his accomplishments. It appears John left the Detached Governor Guidebook in the desk drawer for Jay Nixon to appreciate and absorb...
“I might add: the ambitious state senator from Jefferson County in that period was ... Jeremiah W. Nixon who obviously took good notes on gubernatorial detachment.”
Lobbyist Registrations
From the Pelopidas website:
Steven Tilley added MACO Development Company LLC, and Byrne & Jones Construction.
$5K+ Contributions
Stand Up Missouri - $7,600 from Tower Loan.
Stand Up Missouri - $6,600 from Brundage Management Company.
Stand Up Missouri - $9,400 from Security Group Inc.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $15,000 from Friends of Caleb Jones.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Sanofi Aventis’ John Valenti (43).
Thanksgiving: Former Rep. Therese Sander (64).
Friday: Former Constitutional Party LC candidate Cynthia Davis (53), and Brian Bunten.
Saturday: Former Rep. Dennis Wood (68), and Gloria Boyer.
Sunday: Former Rep. Bill Deeken (73), and Willis Jones (39).
MOScout News
As a reminder, Weekly Summary will be out this afternoon. No Update tomorrow or Friday. See you Monday – but don’t forget about me over the long holiday weekend! Email, call, text (314-255-5210), don’t leave me feeling lonely at my in-laws!