MOScout Daily Update: 3 New Parson Ads - Strategy in Senate 19 - Office of Early Learning - Shields for In-Person - Tax Day Triggering Tax Cut? and more...

New Parson Ads

Governor Mike Parson’s candidate committee and his aligned PAC both released new commercials.

·         From the candidate committee, “Challenges” takes on the COVID crisis. There’re no specifics, but it’s glows with leadership and confidence.  See it here. “Because I know when challenges arise Missourians always overcome - together.”

·         From the PAC there are two new ads.  One’s an attack on Auditor Nicole Galloway claiming that she only works 10 hours a week and “when Galloway does show up she abuses her office.”  See it here.   The other is a 15-sec spot which highlights Parson’s work on the economy and Missouri’s unemployment rate being “38% lower than the national average.” See it here.

Baker Embraces National Ticket

In Senate 19, Judy Baker, on Twitter, embraces the Democratic national ticket.  See it here.  Not totally surprising, but it shows the candidates in Senate 19 are taking very different strategic approaches to the election. 

·         This indicates that Baker is adopting a base turnout model.  Assuming there will be more motivated anti-Trump Democrats in the district, if they all show up, she will win.

·         Rowden is making a nuanced argument that he’s a better fit for the district.  He hasn’t shied away from some of his conservative positions (being pro-life, for example), but he’s talking about “getting things done” and education funding.

DESE Creates New Office of Early Learning

At yesterday’s State Board of Education meeting, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced it was creating a new Office of Early Learning.  According to the announcement (see it here), “this change is part of DESE’s ongoing focus on early learning and early literacy… Earlier this year, DESE announced the State of Missouri received a $33.5 million Preschool Development Grant Birth-Five (PDG B-5) from the U.S. Department of Education, aimed at coordinating a more effective, high-quality early learning system that prepares children to be ready for school… Dr. Pam Thomas, DESE’s current chief of strategic initiatives and talent development, who has been leading the PDG B-5 work for the past year, will assume the role as chief of early learning, effective immediately…”

Discussion form the SBOE

At the SBOE meeting, there was an expressed desire to consolidate the various early childhood efforts.

Board President Charlie Shields: “Right now we have early childhood spread across three departments, I think to move forward we have to consolidate down to one department and we would be the natural department for that…thoughts?”

Commissioner Margie Vandeven: “I think that’s exactly the work that Pam has been working on with this PDG grant, is bringing those agencies together, and I really hate to say this so you can correct me if I am wrong the question you’re asking  - the percentage of children who have access to high quality early childhood is one that we should be able to answer and finding an unduplicated count has been an enormous challenge over the decades because of that very reason. We are in very many location and that is just not acceptable any longer, so I think aside from whether or not that lands in this agency or becomes a separate entity, the reality is these agencies are working in a way they have never worked before under the leadership of Pam facilitating that grant and the activities in that grant  that are designed to do just that so I don’t know what the actual outcome is yet. It’s just under great scrutiny and study right now cause it’s very necessary.”

Shields: “We as a state board, I am not asking for a resolution, but we should push to bring this into one department and create an efficiency to be able to get to more kids and children.”

Vandeven: “I would agree...”

What It Means

The unduplicated count is a big deal. Some kids are getting subsidies from DSS while others are getting services from DESE.  And sometimes they get a little of both, so there’s no accurate count.

If Missouri had an integrated system, it would have the capacity to provide unduplicated counts of where children are being served during the year and the nature of those services, including the counts of children receiving multiple services by type of service. This will help address efficiency issues like duplication of service or service gaps. It will help for planning, funding, etc.

Also From the SBOE

MSBA tweeted from the meeting: State Board of Education President Charlie Shields says he believes there should be a strong preference for in-person learning right now.

Shift in Tax Day Trigger a Tax Cut?

Deep in MOIndy’s article yesterday on the budget (see it here), lays this humdinger…

Through Friday, the state collected $3.38 billion in general revenue, $741.1 million more than the same period a year ago. That fast start, combined with the return of tax filing to April next year, has Jim Moody, a lobbyist who served as budget director for former Gov. John Ashcroft, thinking the fiscal year could see the highest collections ever. “To get to break even, where you had zero growth, you have to be losing $80 million a month for nine months,” Moody said. “I don’t see that happening. The greater likelihood, with two final payment dates in the fiscal year, is that it will trigger the third tax cut on June 30, 2021.” The third tax cut Moody referenced would be the third step in a 2014 tax cut. The top income tax rate is decreased 0.1 percent after each fiscal year when revenues exceed the highest of the three previous years’ tax collections by $150 million or more.

·         One lobbyist had suggested to me that the legislature should re-write the old SB 509 to waive the trigger when there are two “tax days” in the same calendar year, something that may never happen again.  But so far, no legislators have starting thinking about the issue – something which may change after the elections when focus returns to next session.

Election Watch

Political Pro says Missouri is one of three gubernatorial races to watch.  See it here.

The mighty Jason Rosenbaum looks at shifting voting patterns in St. Louis County.  See it here.

Gubby Appts

Governor Mike Parson appointed Judge Kelly C. Broniec to the Missouri Court of Appeals, and the Honorable Sarah A. Castle as Circuit Judge for the 16th Judicial Circuit.

Lobbyists Registrations

Jacqueline Bardgett, John Bardgett, Mark Habbas, Erika Leonard, and Chris Roepe added Verify4 Incorporated.

Jean Forbes added People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Brent Hemphill deleted Recruiting Brands, Contact Tracer Staff, and Corn Refiners Association.

Morgan Matthew Mundell deleted Missouri Limestone Producers Association.

$5K+ Contributions

Uniting Missouri PAC - $1,500,000 from Republican Governors Association Missouri.MBA Uniting Missouri PAC - $27,350 from Missouri Pork PAC.

Uniting Missouri PAC - $20,000 from HealthPAC.

Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $95,000 from American Federation for Children.

Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $25,000 from Citizens for Riddle.

Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $10,000 from Friends of Sandy Crawford.

House Democratic Campaign Committee - $50,000 from Communication Workers of America COPE Political Contributions Committee.

House Democratic Campaign Committee - $10,000 from Electrical Workers Voluntary, Pol, Edu, & Leg Fund IBEW Local Union No 1.

Believe in Life and Liberty - BILL PAC - $75,000 from Richard McIntosh.

River Heritage Region PAC - $6,619 from Sterling Bank.

Greater St. Louis Automobile Dealers Assoc PAC - $48,000 from Dealers Interested in Government.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Derek Ramsay, David Kent, Stephen Nittler, and Jay Swearingen.