MOScout Daily Update: Strong Sept Revs - WashU's $15B Endowment - Elmestad Exits Lobbying - KY3 Reported Fired Over Vax and much more....
September Revenues
State tax receipts were 16% higher in September 2021 than they were in 2020. The rise was fueled by strong growth in the individual income tax, up 17%, but also 20% growth in sales and use tax receipts.
Fiscal-year-to-date, state revenues are down 10%, a number considered very strong because the comparisons with last year are apples to oranges when the pandemic pushed a second “Tax Day” into that fiscal year.
· Bottomline: The governor will have a rosy outlook when he submits his budget to the legislature in January.
WashU Goes Needs-Blind
St. Louis Business Journal reports that Washington University will put $1 billion into “financial aid programs and will no longer consider an applicant’s financial situation for undergraduate admissions… Wash U’s managed endowment pool was valued at $15.3 billion in fiscal 2021, ended June 30. It ranked No. 19 among the nation's wealthiest schools, with $1.1 million in endowment funds per undergraduate.”
· WashU’s largess has been targeted by bills in the legislature the last couple of sessions seeking to tax their endowment.
Elmestad Terminates Registration
Gary Elmestad, a long-time lobbyist for St. Charles County, appears to have retired. He terminated his lobbyist registration. Elmestad stopped representing St. Charles in 2020.
· Tom Dempsey, Mike Gibbons and Tricia Workman now represent the St. Charles County. And Gamble & Schlemeier represent the City of St. Charles.
KY3 Reporter Fired for Non-Vaccination Status
Springfield News-Leader reports that “KY3 reporter Linda Simmons was fired over the weekend for failing to comply with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate of the news station’s owner, Gray Television Inc. After working 14 years with KY3, Simmons announced her departure last Friday in a Facebook post. ‘I value the freedom we all have to make our own informed decisions,’ she wrote on Facebook. ‘I’ve made a big decision and decided not to allow the company that owns KY3, Gray Television, to control my personal health choices. I did not comply with their vaccine mandate after my exemption request was denied.’”
Kinder for Cape
Stacy Kinder is running for Mayor of Cape Girardeau. This is an April election. Kinder is currently on the City Council.
· And the shrugged answer to the obvious question: she’s not a close relation to the former Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder. I’m told: “Her husband may be a cousin…”
The Fight for 133
Since Rep. Curtis Trent has announced his intention to run for state senate, a number of folks have declared for his state rep seat.
Darin Chappell was the first out of the gate. But he’s drawn some snark (“Darin is the city administrator in Chillicothe and before that was in Bolivar. Pretty ballsy to just go head and announce for a SW Springfield seat.”)
Two more now appear to be jumping in... Melanie Stinnett, a speech-language pathologist is a Republican like Chappell. See a bio of her here. And a Democrat, Samantha Deaton, an alderman in Battlefield, MO.
· ROTO (reminder of the obvious): these candidates have no idea how redistricting will change the 133rd district.
Sweets for Jackson County Legislature
Zac Sweets formed a campaign committee to run for Jackson County Legislature. The election is next summer, August 2022.
· Sweets is well-known in the building. He staffed Jason Holsman in the Senate, then did a stint at the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, before joining Evergy.
Lobbyists Ending Carpenters Relationship
We’re seeing the initial ripples of the St. Louis Carpenters dissolution.
· Politico reports that Park&K Public Affairs (see their website here) has terminated their federal lobbying registration of St. Louis Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council.
· David Sweeney deleted his state lobbying registration for the Carpenters earlier this week.
Parson OKs Execution
Press release: Governor Mike Parson confirmed that the state of Missouri will carry out the sentence of Mr. Ernest Lee Johnson on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, as ordered by the Supreme Court of Missouri.
“The state is prepared to deliver justice and carry out the lawful sentence Mr. Johnson received in accordance with the Missouri Supreme Court's order,” Governor Parson said.
Mr. Johnson was tried and convicted for the brutal murder of three innocent victims during a robbery in 1994. The evidence showed Mr. Johnson went to great lengths to plan and conceal his crime. Three juries have reviewed Mr. Johnson's case and recommended a sentence of death. Mr. Johnson's claim that he is not competent to be executed has been reviewed and rejected by a jury and the courts six different times, including a unanimous decision by the Missouri Supreme Court. Mr. Johnson has received due process under the laws in the state trial court, Missouri Supreme Court, federal district court, 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
MEC Dismisses Case Against Action St. Louis
The Missouri Ethics Commission dismissed complaints against Action St. Louis and related organizations. Action St. Louis has been an active force organizing in St. Louis City politics.
[T]he MEC investigation found that while Action St. Louis Power Project, Inc., was involved in these campaign activities, it was not formed for the primary or principal purpose of influencing or attempting to influence the action of voters. Action St. Louis Power Project, Inc. did not accept campaign finance contributions and it spent its own funds raised by the organization. As a result, Action St. Louis Power Project, Inc., was not required to register a committee with the MEC.
AT Government Strategies Moves
Press release: Armstrong Teasdale announces that effective Sept. 27, 2021, its Jefferson City, Missouri, office has moved into a new space at 101 E. High Street on the first floor, just two blocks from the Capitol building. In 1998, the firm planted a flag in Jefferson City and has since occupied space on West Truman Boulevard. Armstrong Teasdale’s long-standing presence in the state capital is indicative of the firm’s commitment to and depth of experience handling matters involving government relations and public policy. The space will also house AT Government Strategies (ATGS), a subsidiary of Armstrong Teasdale LLP that provides non-legal government and regulatory affairs services.
· Armstrong’s registered lobbyists in Jefferson City are: Jonathan Dalton, Sherry Doctorian, Cassie Grewing, and Shanon Hawk.
New Committees
Better Ballot KC was formed. It’s a campaign committee to support an April 2022 ballot question in Kansas City to use ranked choice voting in Kansas City municipal elections. Its treasurer is Sean O’Toole.
Raytown Forward was formed. It’s a PAC. Its treasurer is Active Perry Gorrell.
Lobbyists Registrations
Brian Bernskoetter added Lincoln University.
Jason Zamkus deleted Kingdom Principles, Inc.
$5K+ Contributions
Majority Forward (Dem Senate Campaign Committee) - $10,000 from AGC of MO PAC.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Nick Marshall and Joe Keavney.