MOScout Daily Update: Parkville Argues Against Audit - Billypoolza - Hunt Ed Retreat - Recession Fears Fade and more...
Who’s Afraid of Nicole Galloway?
Parkville, that’s who.
Apparently, there’s a move afoot by citizens to request a state audit of the town. The response: an “informational” campaign by city government about whether folks should sign the petition.
The campaign has a webpage (see it here) with a “Letter to Citizens” (see it here), and the letter was mailed to residents and signed by local officials.
From the letter…
You may receive a request to sign a petition calling for a state audit of the City of Parkville. If performed, the cost of this audit would be paid for by the taxpayers of Parkville. The audit expenses can be significant – other local governments in Missouri have paid costs ranging from $30,000 to $100,000 for their audits. Before you consider signing the petition, please take the time to review information the City has compiled addressing the petition initiative directly, including information describing government financial and ethical safeguards currently in place…
The state audit duplicates some checks and balances already in place and that have already been completed and paid for, and Parkville taxpayers will be required to foot the bill for the state audit costs. Paying for these additional costs takes away precious dollars from critical service for residents…
Should the state audit take place, the Board of Aldermen and City staff will fully cooperate…
One MOScouter: That’s from the elected officials who would be audited, sent to every voter using taxpayer money, discouraging them from signing the petition… [Galloway] writes an open letter to Clay County about them filing a lawsuit and ten days later a city in the next county over writes an open letter to their entire city asking them not to invite her in…
Driving the Day: Hunt Ed Retreat
For the second consecutive year, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft with the help of education leaders Kathy Swan and Gary Romine organized a legislative retreat in Jefferson City to dive into education policy. The event is hosted by the Hunt institute which provides ground support to a half dozen states. According to attendees, the Hunt institute doesn’t push for a particular policy but works to get states to collaborate. Lieutenant Governor Gov Mike Kehoe is on the agenda for the day two breakfast.
Billypalooza?
Tipster writes that Congressman Billy Long celebrated Veterans’ Day… in Vegas, with major donos. One dubbed the event “Billypoolza.”
This seems like vintage Long, but it could also be an indication that Long is “planning to stick to his 6-term pledge.”
That means we’ll soon be prepping for a free-for-all Republican primary in Southwest MO.
Brown Shakes Fist at ATT
On Facebook, Jared Brown, chief of staff to Sen. Justin Brown bemoan the lack of connectivity in the Bootheel…
I’m glad that Stl and KC have 5G service, but in the Bootheel and other parts of Missouri we have 0G service. The Bootheel is flat as a pancake, yet two tin cans and a string are more effective forms of communication. How will the Bootheel or any part of rural Missouri ever progress without basic technology to complete the simplest of business transactions? We need our phones for more than being a paper weight. If any of my FB governmental relations friends represent AT&T please feel free to give me a call if you can get a call through on AT&T’s crappy service. My opinions expressed on my page are mine and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of my boss or anyone else.
Very Good News for Trump
With the impeachment hearing starting today, Republicans can cheer that the macroeconomic picture is brightening. Axios Markets reports that recession fear have “vanished.” This eliminates one of the greatest potential weakness that Republicans could have faced in the upcoming election year.
Investors have done a complete 180-degree turn in sentiment, moving from distrustful of the market's 2019 gains to full-fledged cheerleaders.
This is thanks to an expected pause in the U.S-China trade war and slight improvements in U.S. and global manufacturing, services and housing data.
The survey saw a 43 percentage point increase in the number of investors expecting a stronger global economy in the next year, the biggest month-to-month jump on record.
IE PACs
I’ve updated the Independent Expenditures PAC list again. You can find it here – or anytime at the top of the webpage.
eMailbag: Big Whoop on Fundy Times
If some Senate Republicans are "mad" the CL PAC is having a fundraiser the same night as Rowden (the times overlap by 30 minutes, big whoop), then they should be IRATE that Rowden is having one the same night as the MOGOP and the Governor! [See the invite here]
eMailbag: Elmer Ethics
I’m old enough to remember when Elmer wrote a piece in the KC Star extolling how he is basically the only ethical person in Jeff City. [See it here.]
New Committees
Women For Justice PAC was formed. Its treasurer is Thomas Madden. This is an IE PAC for Erica Hoffman, running in House 96.
$5K+ Contributions
Health Care Issues Committee of the Missouri Hospital Association - $19,635 from Saint Francis Medical Center.
Centene Corporation Political Action Committee d/b/a Centene Missouri Federal PAC - $40,000 from Centene Corporation Political Action Committee.
Planned Parenthood Votes-St Louis and Southwest Missouri - $10,000 from Cynthia Metcalfe.
Lobbyists Registrations
Jeremy LaFaver added Missouri Port Authority Association.
Stephanie Cooper added Douglass Community Services.
Noah Jon Tabor deleted Medica.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Melissa Panettiere, Steve Hoven, Jack Jackson, and J.C. Kuessner.