MOScout Daily Update: Election Day - More Post-Stenger Talk - Galloway Presser on Tax Refunds - Ashcroft Won't Run for Gov in 2020 and more...
Election Day
It’s Election Day in municipalities across Missouri… mayors, city councils, school boards, and a whole lot of bond issues and local tax issues… The biggest races folks are watching:
· KC mayoral race where the top two vote-getters will face off in June. Former Sen. Jolie Justus led MOScout’s recent Weekly Poll, but not by much.
· Columbia City race where incumbent Brian Treece is facing former Rep. Chris Kelly.
· St. Louis City’s School Board election which is likely to take the reins of the district back after years under a Special Administrative Board.
Driving the Day
Looks like there may be more information coming on the Department of Revenue’s withholding debacle… The media advisory: [A]t 10 a.m., Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway will hold a news conference in her Capitol office to announce the findings of an audit of the timeliness of tax refunds. The audit details recent issues related to the state's individual income tax withholding tables and the expected impact taxpayers' tax returns…
More Post-Stenger Talk
The talk imagining a post-Stenger County continues even as Steve Stenger himself declared he wasn’t going to resign.
The St. Louis Business Journal referenced my initial rumors of possible successors with a list of six possibilities. See it here. New names on their list:
· Councilman Sam Page – “the most likely successor because he's the current County Council chair and has led that body in its fights with Stenger.”
· Councilwoman Hazel Erby – “an attractive choice for county executive because she also was council chair in 2009 and 2014.”
· Councilwoman Lisa Clancy – “she's seen as an outsider who's open to new ideas.”
· Businessman Mark Mantovani – “After losing the August Democratic primary to Stenger by just 1,157 votes, Mantovani could claim that he has the most county-wide support of any of the options.”
And
One politico watching the scene unfold thinks the “the appointment is Sam's if he wants it. I don't think it is a particularly good idea for Sam or for the County but if he truly wants it, he can probably muster enough votes… [and] I would not be surprised if neither Zimmerman or Sifton get the job. Look for a relatively surprise pick, including a woman or a currently non-elected official. I also wouldn't be surprised to see a "caretaker" pick, someone who would not be a candidate for re-election or Metro Mayor but would try to right the County ship…”
Republicans Contra Lamping
Republicans struck back on social media after a Jason Hancock article about Governor Mike Parson’s re-election path in which former Sen. John Lamping called him a “blue dog Democrat.”
· Republican Political consultant Miles Ross notes Greitens’ Democratic past tweeting: “This is an absurd take on so many levels. Lamping backed a candidate in 2016 that was a Obama/Pelosi democrat UNTIL he announced. It’s not conservative to let a bridge fail, it’s stupid. Both parties have many different opinions. Leaders work with that. Parson is leading.”
· Former Sen. Ryan Silvey taunts Lamping tweeting: “Do us all a favor and run yourself, One Term Johnny, so we can enjoy the beatdown. #Parson2020”
But
The big news in the article is that Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft takes a primary challenge off the table. Ashcroft was the one real threat to Parson, and it’s gone.
House Moves to Strengthen ED Protections
The House General Laws Committee held a hearing yesterday on HB 1062. It would restrict the use of eminent domain for the Grain Belt Express.
Even before the hearing was over Speaker Elijah Haahr signaled his support for the bill: “In light of the recent PSC decision on the Grain Belt Express, the General Assembly will act to protect Missourians from private companies trying to seize their land through eminent domain. The legislation the House is moving forward is vital for many Missourians who otherwise would be forced to allow unreasonable restrictions on their family farms, damaging the value of their land and taking away their private property rights.”
Listen to selected clips of the committee hearing here.
Ashcroft Vs Ashcroft
After Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft testified in favor of several proposals to tighten the process for initiative petitions to reduce the number filed, several folks noted that Ashcroft’s father – when governor – vetoed legislation which would have changed the process.
· Here’s Carl Bearden’s email blast recalling that “Governor Ashcroft vetoed Senate Substitute for House Committee Substitute for House Bills Nos. 268 & 87 on June 27, 1992. He provided several reasons for his veto of the bill that equally apply to those proposals being offered today by members of the Republican majority.”
· Here’s a Sean Soendker Nicholson tweet of an old Post-Dispatch (Virginia Young) story on it. Gov. Ashcroft veto of #MOleg proposal to take away citizens’ rights - to ''repress citizen involvement and increase the costs of the petition process.''
Roeber Remains in Serious Condition
KCStar’s Crystal Thomas reports that “state Rep. Rebecca Roeber remains in serious condition at University Hospital in Columbia, Mo. Last Monday, she was in a car accident while on her way to Jefferson City…”
And
News Tribune reports that the capitol renovations are about half-way done. See it here. “As of Monday, the project is about 45 percent complete and remains on budget and on schedule with anticipated completion at the end of 2020, OA officials said in a news release.”
eMailbag
Interesting that no one in your Hallway index mentioned that Dean [Plocher] is the only one running who has actually raised money (over $100k) for HRCC, because raising money is the hardest part of that job.
Help Wanted
Missouri Association of Area Agencies on Aging seeks Executive Director. “The executive director is positioned as a visionary leader of the association and is expected to demonstrate servant leadership. Reporting to the board, the executive director provides leadership for the organization, its contractors, and members. The executive director is accountable for carrying out the objectives of the strategic plan, assuring compliance with all grants, ensuring goals are accomplished, understanding the financial status of the association, engaging with human resource matters, and guiding the application of all policies and procedures… Salary: $65,000.00 to $75,000.00 /year…”
New Committees
Kenneth Jamison formed a candidate committee (Jamison For Missouri) to run for House 15 as a Democrat. The current incumbent, Rep. Jon Carpenter, is termed.
$5K+ Contributions
Pipefitters Assoc Local Union #533 - $13,573 from Pipefitters Local Union 533 PAC.
Dan Borgmeyer For Mayor - $40,000 from Dan Borgmeyer.
Friends of SJSD - $10,000 from Mosiac Life Care.
Nexus PAC - $10,000 from McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc.
MO Republican Party - $10,000 from Missouri Realtors PAC, Inc.
MO Republican Party - $10,000 from Dealers Interested in Government.
Lobbyists Registrations
Andy Blunt, Jay Reichard and Ginger Steinmetz added MTC Truck Driver Training, and Professional Certification Coalition.
Jeffrey Brooks, Cynthia Gamble, Kathryn Gable, William Gamble, David Jackson, Sarah Topp, Sarah Schlemeier, and Olivia Wilson added Autism Speaks, Inc.
Patrick Brown and Marco Tipton added Union Electric Co. DBA Amerenue, Ameren Services, Ameren Corp.
Trent Ford added VSA Holdings.
Caroline Hoover added Missouri Association of Municipal Utilities, and Jackson County Legislature.
Laurence Johnson added CVS Health.
Paul Wagner added Council on Public Higher Education.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Tony Monetti, and Wes Sutton.