MOScout Daily Update: Friday Bits

UM Nervous About Budget

Columbia Daily Tribune reports that the University of Missouri is eyeing the state tax revenue numbers nervously.  Despite the reassurances from the Department of Revenue this week that the state revenue shortfall would be made up in April when Missourians get their tax bill, the university is making plans for possible cuts.  See it here.

Galloway Argues Against CLEAN Changes

In an op/ed Auditor Nicole Galloway says that the legislature shouldn’t mess with what the voters have passed.  See it here.  So here’s the question for politicians who want to curtail the will of the people: Why were the voters smart when they elected you, but not so smart when they spoke out on the policies they wanted to see in their government?

Ashcroft Creates Common Ground on Education?

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft hosted a legislative retreat in Jeff City this week to cover education topics like early childhood, charter schools and school leadership. The two-day event brought together school superintendents, charter folks, DESE and house and Senate education leaders. Surprisingly productive discussions on typically contentious subjects like charters and accountability. DESE always announced that they were awarded a $6.5M federal grant that will be used to build out a birth-to-five early childhood infrastructure to support a mixed delivery model.

eMailbag on Reforming MoDOT

[Sen. Bill] Eigel’s messages were mixed.  On the one hand, he complains of too much spending (“biggest budget in our history!”).  On the other, not enough spending in his district on new bridges.  If he and others in Conservative Caucus were wise, they’d focus on a bigger picture.  MoDOT has been able to thumb its nose at other government efficiency efforts (for example, no IT consolidation when nearly every other department did so and saved tens of millions).  If the General Assembly is to infuse MoDOT with $350 million plus $100 million in interest  payments from general revenue, I would focus on those types of concessions that pay long term dividends to taxpayers.  Might produce a real win-win.

eMailbag: Prediction

Prediction: [DOR Director Joel] Walters gone by Spring Break…

Sports Gaming Revenue Lackluster Elsewhere

As the legislature looks at bringing sports gaming to Missouri with an eye toward increased revenue, the experience of others states cautions against over-estimating how much it will bring in.  See it here.

Delaware, Mississippi, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia have entered the sports betting field so far. The District of Columbia is also moving ahead with a sports betting program and during upcoming legislative sessions state lawmakers elsewhere are expected to discuss the topic. But a researcher with the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, Richard Auxier, cautioned this week that the wagering may not generate as much tax revenue as some are hoping for… Auxier points out that Nevada collected about $20 million over the past 12 months—about 0.1 percent of annual general revenue in the state. New Jersey brought in around $8 million (including $5 million from online wagers) in sports betting tax revenue during the first six months of its program. That number equals about 0.02 percent of the $34.4 billion in general revenues the state reported in fiscal 2017.

Previewing the Weekender

The MOScout Weekly poll will look at the upcoming Kansas City mayoral primary.  The Hallway will give up an early take on the 2020 Senate races.  Plus, Who Won the Week and other bits….

Recent Lobbyists Registrations

Playing catch up here…

Cathy Tang added Everytown For Gun Safety Action Fund .         

Charles M Thornbrugh added QuikTrip Corporation.

Daniel Pfeifer, Greg Porter, Rebecca Lohmann, David Willis and Alex Eaton added SHI International Corporation.

David Klarich added Our Missouri.

Jeremy LaFaver added StateLine Strategies LLP

Jim Moody added Boys & Girls Club Alliance.

Steven Tilley and Thomas Robbins added OHM Group LLC; and deleted US Term Limits, and Mike's Farm Inc.

Thomas Robbins deleted Scenic Missouri.

Steven Tilley deleted Verus Analytics LLC.

Barry M Goldwater added Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.

Brian Grace, Kate Casas, Kelvin Simmons and Rodney Boyd added Tesla Motors, and Laredo Hospitality.

Brian L Brookshire added Missouri Forest Products Association.

David A. Shorr, Kurt Schaefer, Doug Nelson, Heath Clarkston, and Harry Gallagher added Beachner Brothers.        

David Kirby added Missouri State Auditor’s Office.

James Patrick Faul added Missouri State AFL-CIO, School Retirement System of The City of St Louis, and Missouri State Building and Construction Trades Council and Certain of its Affiliated Locals.     

Jeff Grisamore added Ozark Investments LLC.

Ken Hussey added Missouri State Alliance of YMCAs.

Michelle McGann added PGA Tour Inc, National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (Mlb), FanDuel, Inc., and DraftKings, Inc.   

Rodney Gray, Tami Holliday and Susan Henderson Moore added The Cordish Company.

Brian Bernskoetter, and Randy Scherr added Curaleaf

Jane Dueker added Home Builders Association of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri.

Olivia Wilson added David Humphreys.

Salvatore Panettiere added Empower Missouri.

Trish Workman deleted Coalition of Ignition Interlock Manufacturers.

Aaron Baker and Hannah Beers added School Choice Missouri.

Elizabeth Lauber added Missouri Maintenance Reform Group.

Mike Lodewegen deleted Missouri Association of School Administrators.

Richard AuBuchon and Chris Roepe added Missouri Association of School Administrators.

Eapen Thampy added Crossing Paths.

Aimee Wehmeier added Paraquad.

Bill Gamble, Jeff Brooks, Kathryn Gamble, Sarah Topp, Sarah Schlemeier, Olivia Wilson, Jorgen Schlemeier, Cynthia Gamble, and David Jackson added Prairie Township Fire Protection District.

Julie Riddle added United Way of Greater Kansas City.

Ron Berry added St. Louis Area Diaper Bank, and Wickham and Wood LLC.

$5K+

Teamsters Local Union No 688 Political Action Committee - $10,168 from DRIVE Cmmittee (Washington DC).

House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $75,00 from Penn National Gaming, Inc.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Gracia Backer, and Michael Corcoran.

Saturday: Ken Franklin.

Sunday: Sen. Jill Schupp and Mary Scruggs.