MOScout Daily Update: Two Months from August - STL Rifts - May Revenues Down 22% - Dienoff's Tough Tuesday - Parsons for Cookson? and more...
Two Months Out: The World Has Changed But Nothing’s Changed
The August primary is two months from today. In this crazed time of multiple crises, two months feels like an eternity.
· While it appears we are on the backside of the coronavirus contagion curve, there’s still plenty of concern of a second wave. COVID restrictions, in some form, will likely be part of our society for the months ahead.
· Protests fill the streets – especially in the urban parts of Missouri – in reaction to unaddressed systemic racism manifested in police brutality. It’s unclear what will bring an end to the demonstrations.
For the politics of primaries, though, the playbook doesn’t seem to have changed much…
· President Donald Trump’s popularity still seems axiomatic for the Republican base. So one would expects Republicans in primaries to align themselves with him.
· The opposite is true for Democrats. Running against Trump is probably a winning strategy. As is, hammering themes of inequality. The current times have heightened Democratic sensitivity to those issues as they relate to healthcare, economics or policing.
STL Rifts Widen Under Pressure
You dream that everyone comes together during a crisis and “works the problem.” In reality, a crisis often widens existing fissures.
· AG Eric Schmitt tweeted angrily at St. Louis City Prosecutor Kim Gardner who shot back with a YouTube video. See it here.
· SLPOA business manager Jeff Roorda wrote a letter asking to oust St. Louis Police Chief John Hayden who wrote a letter back. See it here.
Meanwhile
Mayor Lyda Krewson’s standing has improved. She’s calm, engaged, reassuring, working the problem and staying out of the tit-for-tats. Krewson said yesterday that the curfew order would continue, hinting it would stay through the end of the week or through the weekend depending on the circumstances.
Party On
Post-Dispatch reports that “the large crowds of people at the Lake of the Ozarks over Memorial Day weekend have not led to any more reported cases of COVID-19, Missouri’s top health official health department said Wednesday. ‘The answer, to our knowledge, is no,’ Dr. Randall Williams, director of the Department of Health and Senior Services, said when asked whether more cases have come from the gatherings, photos of which showed throngs of people close together without wearing masks…”
What It Means
· This should certainly embolden folks who are calling for a faster reopening of the economy.
· Additionally, it adds fuel to the current politicized struggle with the right side accusing the left of using the coronavirus to institute “Big Brother” orders.
May Revenues Down 22%
Although I haven’t seen an official release from Budget and Planning yet, according to the daily revenue sheets, May’s state revenue totals were 22.48% lower than May 2019.
That brings the fiscal year-to-date number at the end of May to negative 7.38%, $642 million below 2019.
The Parson administration has obviously been aware of these numbers and has tried to stay ahead of the curve with budget withholds.
We’re now in the final month of the fiscal year.
Dienoff 0-4 on Tuesday
Arnie Dienoff, who is challenging Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe in the Republican primary, was on the ballot four times in Tuesday election, losing in each race (actually placing last in each race). See it here.
· Fort Zumwalt School Board, sixth out of six.
· O'Fallon City Council, Ward 1, fifth out of five.
· O'Fallon Fire Protection District Board, second out of two.
· St. Charles Community College Board, third out of three.
Parsons For Cookson?
In Senate 25, Steve Cookson’s literature says he’s “recommended” by “Governor Mike Parsons.” See it here.
I guess saying you’re recommended is vague enough that it’s not exactly lying and saying you’re endorsed. But regardless, shouldn’t someone running for state senate know that the governor’s last name is Parson, not Parsons.
RFP: Job Centers of the Future
The state has issued an RFP for “consultation services to assess, examine, and compare Missouri’s Public Workforce System to other states as it relates to job center service delivery and workforce outcomes.” See it here.
This will enhance the State’s public workforce system by analyzing and identifying specific policies to improve service delivery to the job seekers and employers across the state. This will also assist the state in identify technological and resource improvements to establish and effective and efficient public workforce system with effective workforce outcomes.
The consultation services will inform the state on workforce strategies, workforce policies, and customer journey mapping to identify effective and efficient ways to serve job seekers and customers.
Gubby Appts
Governor Mike Parson Made eight new appointments….
· Mark Arnold and Joe Bayer Jr. were appointed to the Residential Mortgage Board.
· Helene Frischer was appointed to the Missouri Ethics Commission.
· Michelle Luster and Hanh Nguyen were appointed to the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners.
· Joseph S. Passanise was appointed to the Tourism Commission.
· Michael Prost was appointed to the Missouri Health Facilities Review Committee.
· Timothy Wahl was appointed to the Workers’ Compensation Determinations Review Board.
Lobbyist Registrations
Veronica De La Garza added American Diabetes Association.
$5K+ Contributions
Missouri Forward PAC - $10,000 from BNSF Railway Company.
Citizens For Bracht - $6,000 from Terence Bracht.
BHA PAC - $10,000 from Hemphill and Associates Inc.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Ryan Johnson and Melissa Boyd.