MOScout Daily Update: CLEANER Move Forward - Two Sides of Local Taxation - More on GOP's MedEx "Fail-Safe" and more...

CLEANER Perfected in Senate

Sen. Dan Hegeman introduced a new version of his CLEANER resolution yesterday.  See it here.  It did not contain any substantive changes.  Democrats filibustered by hours, but ultimately sat down, allowing it to be perfected.

This will presumably be passed by the House and go before the voters in November.
What It Means

·         I’m told consistently from both sides that Dems didn’t sit as a result of any specific horse-trading.  That is, no bill was taken off the table this session in exchange for ending the filibuster.

·         However, Dems weren’t bristling. They feel well-positioned to defend the minority position on other bills.

·         And critically, many Dems believe that CLEANER may lose at the ballot box in November.  They expect to have funding, and think they have a strong message to take to voters

·         For Senate Republicans, this achieves their top priority.  That’s true across their caucus. 

·         And this keeps the Senate “functional” for the foreseeable future and allows individual Republicans an easier path to achieve other priorities, than if the Senate experienced a traumatic PQ.

Chiefs Parade

The Superbowl champs will parade through Kansas City.  In a nod to KC legislators who are attending the parade, the legislature will have a quiet day.

The House is only holding a technical session, and the Senate is not expected to take up any “big” issues.

Follow-Up on GOP MedEx “Fail-Safe?”

I wrote yesterday about Budget Chair Cody Smith’s HJR 106 to explicitly make Medicaid funding subject to appropriation. 

A few more bits…

·         Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer has filed a similar resolution on the Senate side.  See it here.

·         One reader questions the political wisdom of the maneuver…  Why would the legislature want to wrangle over expansion in the budget process and take political responsibility for it? Seems smarter to allow voters to get the legislative majority off the hook and be able to blame the initiative process and feds if Medicaid expansion affects GR negatively rather than have to vote to cut benefits people have voted in.

The Two Sides of Local Taxation

Yesterday’s House Local Government Committee heard from state representatives seeking enabling legislation for their municipalities to raise taxes.

·         Rep. Rodger Reedy’s HB 1701 would “authorizes a sales tax dedicated to public safety in the cities of Clinton and Lincoln upon voter approval.”  Reedy noted that their proximity to the Lake of the Ozarks meant their police forces needed extra funding.

·         Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch’s HB 1731 would “authorize Hallsville to levy a sales tax whose revenue is dedicated to public safety upon voter approval.”  Toalson Reisch explained that Hallsville’s population has been growing by leaps and bounds.

Two others in the cue in Local Government that didn’t get a hearing yesterday:

·         Rep. Noel Shull’s HB 1309 would “authorize the village of Claycomo to levy, upon voter approval, a sales tax whose revenue is dedicated to public safety.”

·         Rep. Kenneth Wilson’s HB 1726 would “authorize certain cities to levy a 1/2 cent sales tax for public safety.”

Committee members were wondering aloud if they should just pass blanket enabling legislation rather than hear these appeals one at a time.

Meanwhile

The Senate’s Way and Means Committee has teed up efforts to rein in personal property assessments after folks have complained about spike property taxes.

·         Chairman Andrew Koenig and Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer have bills (SB 705 and SB 675) which would limit assessments from increasing more than 5% or the rate of inflation.  And both have companion SJRs to make sure their bills would be constitutional.

·         And Sen. Bill Eigel’s SJR 43 is a constitutional amendment which would limit the rise in assessment by the inflation rate.

What It Means

·         These are all Republicans.

·         And they’re all responding to their constituents.

·         It’s a schizophrenic situation where some communities are struggling to make their budgets – particularly public safety budgets – work, while many individuals feel pinched by property taxes rising faster than their incomes.

Hyperloop Bill Moves Forward

Post-Dispatch reports that “an effort aimed at convincing developers of a futuristic, high-speed transportation system to build a test track in Missouri won first-round approval in the Missouri House on Tuesday… The measure adds tube transport systems, a concept developed by the company Virgin Hyperloop One, to the list of projects that could be financed through public-private partnerships. Other types of projects include ports, ferries and light rail systems… Before lawmakers gave their approval, however, Fitzwater proposed an amendment that would ban eminent domain for tube transport systems…”

·         Adding the eminent domain ban was a concession to keep the bill moving, and subdue opposition. 

·         We’re years away from any actual tube route being plotted, and the ban could be revisited then.

·         Because it’s not possible to run a tube across Missouri without at least the threat of eminent domain.

Finally

Secretary of state Jay Ashcroft pokes fun at the Iowa debacle.  See it here.

Lobbyists Registrations

Jeffrey Altmann added Discovery Center of Springfield.

Michael Holmes added Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Jewell Patek added Magellan Midstream Partners.

Eryka Porter added Premier Consulting Firm LLC.

Francis G. Slay added Francis Slay.  

Coltin Wright added Burton-Liese LLC, and all of their clients.

$5K+ Contributions

Missourians for Healthcare - $7,000 from Northwest Health Services Inc.

STL Approves - $20,000 from Center for Election Science.

New Approach PAC - $30,000 from New Approach PAC.

Missourians for a New Approach - $30,000 from New Approach PAC.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Rep. Allen Andrews, Teresa Hensley, and Steve Hobbs.