MOScout Daily Update: C-Virus Takes Center Stage - Firefighters Endorse Page - Lenihan's Med School - PDMP Week? and more...

First in MOSout: Firefighters Back Page

In the St. Louis County Executive Democratic Primary, the Professional Fire Fighters of Eastern Missouri – IAFF Local 2665 are proud to support incumbent Dr. Sam Page for County Executive.

As we face down the public health threat that comes with a looming pandemic, St. Louis County’s Fire Fighters and Paramedics need a County Executive that intimately understands the nuances of such a dynamic and challenging environment. Dr. Sam Page chose to place his medical practice on hold to serve the citizens of St. Louis County. His sacrifices, knowledge, and leadership could not be more appreciated and more welcomed as we collective prepare our community for the challenges that lie ahead…

It is commonly said that all politics are local. Nowhere is that truer than in the delivery of emergency services. From the fire truck or ambulance that responds to your calls for help, to the emergency personnel who are the first on the scene, every aspect of our ability to assist you in your time of need is a product of local government. As County Executive Dr. Page has proven his commitment to St. Louis County and its first responders. Sam’s familiarity with our community’s needs and values will be crucial in ensuring that your Fire Fighters and Paramedics have the tools we need to protect your community.

On behalf of the Professional Fire Fighters of Eastern Missouri with more than 2,400 local area fire fighters, paramedics and 911 dispatchers we are proud to enthusiastically support Dr. Sam Page and hope you will join us re-elect him as County Executive of St. Louis County Missouri!

Very Sincerely,

Dennis J. Murray

President – IAFF Local 2665

What It Means

It’s a smart take to tie the endorsement to the emerging threat of the coronavirus because…

C-Virus Takes Center Stage

I’m disinclined to change my outlook that this election will be largely a referendum on President Donald Trump, but the coronavirus is clearly taking center stage right now.

·         Missouri booked its first case, and the father of the woman promptly broke quarantine, leading to outrage.

·         Markets are in a tailspin seemingly forecasting a much greater chance that the economy will slow dramatically amid the uncertainty.

·         Interesting opinion piece in the Washington Post (see it here): For all the speculation about whether coronavirus will doom President Trump’s reelection, voters motivated by the outbreak would do well to focus further down the ballot, on the state and local races that will determine who bears the lion’s share of responsibility for the response. As the coronavirus spreads in communities, it will be mayors, county judges and school superintendents — not federal officials ― who make the tough calls about whether to declare a state of emergency or shutter public schools and other institutions.

More on Last Week’s Senate Filibuster and Tensions

Senate leadership spoke to members of the “Senate Regulars” throughout the night of the filibuster taking their temperature.  “Every single member” said they would be there as long as they needed to be.  They were united in the action, a response to the Conservative Caucus knocking Sen. Lincoln Hough’s bill off consent calendar.

One CC member explains why: Hough’s Bill was kicked off the consent calendar because of the consent SB 68 bill he had last year, which was camouflaged as a consent bill to pass the Senate, then loaded up on the House side and shoved down the throat of the Senate without conference or compromise. 

And

In a sign of how the filibuster tensions boiled over, it even impacted the meals of staffers!!….

One building denizen: “Hough sent out an email to all of the Senators, except for the 6 CC, inviting them for dinner in his office during floor debate.  It has always been customary that when food is purchased, it’s purchased for everyone.  No big deal as none of the CC went to Hough’s office, but 2 CC staffers heard about the dinner from other staffers and went to Hough’s office to grab a plate of food and were turned away… Staff has always had an unwritten rule that what happens between their bosses is their bosses business and staff shouldn’t get involved nor spill over into staff’s work relationships…”

Another says: “This is the first time I can remember the food being hosted by the sponsoring senator. In previous filibusters, food was provided by the senate or the caucus. [But] some of those staffers were back in Hough’s office on Thursday for pastries and coffee…”

ROMO: PDMP Coming

Reminder of the obvious: with the prescription drug monitoring program legislation in the pipeline for debate, there’s no easy thaw in sight before Spring Break next week.

Lenihan’s STL Med School

Late last week, news broke that a “for-profit university said it will build a medical school on the southeast end of the former Pruitt-Igoe site in north St. Louis. A three-bed hospital development targeted for the west side of the site has stalled, but the school said its development is not contingent on that NorthSide Regeneration facility.”

Ponce Health Sciences University’s president is David Lenihan.  He’s the Republican candidate in Senate 1, running against Democrat, Rep. Doug Beck, to replace termed Sen. Scott Sifton.

Lenihan hasn’t filed yet.  However, he does have an active candidate committee, and is considered the GOP’s top recruit for the seat.

MOBudget Says Revenues “Misleading”

While February’s strong revenue growth cheered most observers, Missouri Budget Project warns the 7.2% “growth rate is misleading because it’s relative to a time of very weak collections.  At this same point in the previous fiscal year (FY 2019), GR had declined by 5% compared to the prior year. So, to get a better sense of where MO stands, it’s important to compare current state revenue with two years prior (or FY 2018).  Using that benchmark, state GR at the end of February was just 1.83% higher than it was in FY 2018 (or about $109 million in growth over a two year period).  In fact, when reviewed over just two years, MO collections didn’t even keep pace with inflation...”

eMailbag on MMJ Controversies

I have not listened to all of the MMJ hearings and it is not hard to believe mistakes were made but the members of that committee both R and D sound like a bunch of whiney narcissists.  Defaming public servants, some political appointments some not.  Who would want to work for government?  I hope none of these folks get appointments as if they do someone is going to remind them of their own behavior in a very public way.

New Committees

Brenda McKinney formed a candidate committee (McKinney in the House) to run for House 158 as a Democrat.

One St Louis PAC was formed.  Its treasurer is Nancy Diamond.

Lobbyist Registrations

Steven Tilley, Thomas Robbins and Jake Silverman added St. Charles County Ambulance District.

Caroline Hoover added Kansas City MLB Urban Youth Academy, Rave Wireless Inc. DBA Rave Mobile Safety, and Husch Blackwell Strategies.

Jay Reichard added Conduent Inc. and Its Affiliates.

Charles Miller added Power Tower Block 124, LP.

David Sweeney added The StarWood Group and New Legacy Development Partners; and deleted ICSolutions, and StarLake Holdings.

Keith Hazelwood added Midwest Holdings LLC.

Jay Reichard and Ginger Steinmetz deleted The Healing Center of KC LLC, and The Healing Center of STL LLC.

Karen Strange deleted Artpho Ltd Productions.

Andy Blunt and Caroline Hoover deleted ChargePoint.

Lisa Christie deleted Missouri Son Inc.

Zach Brunnert deleted his clients associated with Flotron & McIntosh

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Dave Monaghan, Nathan Beard, and Luke Reed.