MOScout Daily Update: The Final Measurement of Parson's COVID Response - No Rex $$$ Against E-Tax - Feb Revenues Dip and more....
Vaccines Distribution
Post-Dispatch reports on the seeming mismatch between vaccine distribution and population.
· St. Louis-area officials have struggled to meet demand for the vaccine as some rural counties have seen excess doses, leading some at-risk Missourians to drive for hours to seek appointments outside of urban areas.
· St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson wrote a letter to Parson last month asking that vaccine distribution be allowed for CVS and Walgreens, which combined have more than 30 locations in the city.
· [Governor Mike]Parson acknowledged that there was more interest in receiving the vaccine in urban areas than in rural counties.
· “Starting next week, we will begin transitioning mass vaccination teams to accommodate more events in Region A, which is the Kansas City area, and Region C, in the St. Louis region,” Parson said from Jefferson City…
Obviously, there’s been criticism of the governor’s performance during the past year. His refusal to issue a statewide mask mandate, and his inconsistent public behavior regarding masks were often cited during the height of the epidemic.
More recently criticism has focused on the inefficient vaccine distribution, sending too many doses to low-capacity outlets.
· A recent Remington Research poll found that a third of Missourians rated the state’s vaccine rollout as “poor,” and a third as “average,” while only a third rated it “good” or “excellent.”
In the end, the final measure of Parson’s job will be assessed by a single data point: deaths.
With vaccines more plentiful each week and COVID in retreat, the early assessment would be that Missouri’s was on par with the United State as a whole.
My back of the envelope numbers: MO deaths 8,500 with a population of about 6.1 million is right in the line with the overall nation’s numbers of 550,000 deaths of out 330 million Americans.
Ahead of Break
It was a relatively slow week in the legislature. Just one more week until Spring Break, traditionally considered the halfway point in the session.
We’ll see if the Senate pushes through some the bigger priorities teed up on the informal perfection calendar: the education reform bill, and bill to rein in local health boards.
· When the legislature returns from break, there’s only eight weeks left in session. Every week will count.
No Rex $$$ Against E-Tax
Word has been sent to the leaders of the cities that Rex Sinquefield isn’t going to field a campaign to try to repeal the earnings taxes this cycle.
The tax, which accounts for millions of dollars in St. Louis and Kansas City budgets, must be re-approved.
What It Means
There’s absolutely no reason to think that Sinquefield has abandoned his opposition to the earnings tax. Instead, this appears to be a pause as he and his team reassess their goal and strategies.
Feb Revenue Collection Slides
February state tax collections dipped.
· Individual income tax was down 11.4 compared to February 2020.
· Sales tax was down 5.7%.
· But net revenues rose as refunds dropped dramatically this month, down 53% compared to February 2020. That accounted for an extra $140 million to the bottom line, driving net revenue higher 8.1%
Overall fiscal year-to-date, net general revenue collections are running $1.1 billion ahead of 2020. That includes a boost of about $700 million from the delayed Tax Day last year.
Lobbyists Registrations
Gamble & Schlemeier added Next Missouri.
$5K+ Contributions
New Approach PAC - $12,427 from New Approach PAC.
MO Republican Party - $10,000 from American Dream PAC.
Missourians for Higher Education - $10,000 from TIFEC.
Supporters of Health Research and Treatments - $39,000 from John McDonnell.
Together KC - $10,000 from Clarkson Construction Company.
American Property Casualty Insurance Association Political Account - $35,331 from American Property Casualty Insurance Association.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Rep. Shane Roden, and Paul Fitzwater.