MOScout Daily Update: Eigel Says "Let's Go MO" - NAACP Says "Just Vote No" - Broadband Progress - Pot Pardoning and more...
Eigel Re-Announces Gubby Exploratory
Last weekend, Sen. Bill Eigel once again said he’s serious about running for governor in 2024.
“Eigel had a huge event last night at his home where he announced he would be forming an exploratory committee for Governor… Over 200 people showed up, so many that they had to have the event in his back yard. There were grassroots leaders there from all over the state plus Sen. Bob Onder, Sen-elect Ben Brown, Reps. Phil Christofanelli, Adam Schnelting, Tony Lovasco, Councilman Joe Brazil, Mark McCloskey, Gary Grewe, and a ton of GOP committeemen & women.”
Here’s the website (Let’s Go MO) which previews what I expect will be Eigel’s themes…
· Missouri is a God-fearing, freedom loving, America-first state that is being held back by swamp-dwelling big government special interests that are out of step with Missouri values.
· Are you tired of Republicans who tell you one things in campaign season but do something else once elected?
· Are you disillusioned with Republicans who fail to challenge our Democrat neighbors on important issues like protecting girls sports, raising your taxes, and protecting your freedoms from out-of-control government?
· Do you want to see Missouri get up and support statewide leaders in Missouri like President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis?
September Revenues
Healthy numbers from the state’s tax receipts in September…
State Budget Director Dan Haug announced today that net general revenue collections for September 2022 grew 14.7 percent compared to those for September 2021, from $1.10 billion last year to $1.26 billion this year. Net general revenue collections for 2023 fiscal year-to-date increased 17.2 percent compared to September 2021, from $2.76 billion last year to $3.24 billion this year.
More on MO’s Broadband Gap
From one MOScouter: As the broadband core funding is distributed, the gaps will start disappearing... next round of funding from DC is going to be huge. The follow-on investment from 2022 core funding plus 2023-24 funding from the Feds will represent billions, which is what we will need to close the digital divide once and for all. The next big challenge will be finding work crews to deploy broadband resources….
And
There’s a new name in Missouri internet. In the lobbyists’ registrations (below) you’ll see that Claudia Sands is now representing Brightspeed. They bought CenturyLink’s telephone and internet business in Missouri.
NAACP: Just Vote No
The Missouri NAACP released its position on the November ballot amendments. They’re against them all.
See the bullet point explainer here.
Politics of Pot Pardons
Axios reports on reaction from state governors to President Joe Biden’s pardon of federal marijuana convictions. See it here. In general, it seems to be breaking along party lines. Democratic governors are mirroring Biden’s action with state level pardons, while Republicans are sitting on their hands for the time being. That’s true here in Missouri where Governor Mike Parson said there wouldn’t be any big change to his case-by-case approach.
· Meanwhile, the medical marijuana industry in Missouri reports that “Missouri now has more than 200,000 active medical marijuana patients and is nearing $500 million in sales. As of the end of September, 205,883 medical marijuana patients and caregivers had Missouri medical marijuana cards…”
Tech Lobbying
Yesterday I mentioned an easy flip-through book – Adrift. Here’s an interesting passage it relates to federal expenditures I’m pretty sure): “Spending on lobbying by U.S. tech firms has ballooned by more than eleven times in the past twenty years. In 2000, tech companies spent $7 million courting legislators. Twenty years later, they spent $80 million – more than the commercial banking industry ($62 million) and approaching the budget of oil and gas ($113 million). Facebook spent $20 million on lobbying in 2020, followed closely by Amazon with $19 million and Alphabet (Google’s parent company) with $8 million.”
eMailbag on Pizza Robots
Are they making pizza robots because they want to replace low-skilled labor or because there isn't any? I talk to a lot of business owners that cannot find workers in pretty much every industry. If we opened up immigration a bit more, and these businesses could fill their jobs, would they be looking for alternatives that could inevitably be removing low-skilled worked entirely?
Lobbyists Registrations
Claudia Sands deleted LUMEN and added Brightspeed.
Michael Grote and David Winton deleted WANRack LLC.
$5K+ Contributions
House Democratic Campaign Committee - $25,000 from Missouri Drive Fund.
Majority Forward - $15,000 from Alliance For Progress LLC.
Renew Roads Sales Tax Committee - $10,000 from Heavy Constructors Association.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Sen. Denny Hoskins, Roger Wilson, Terry Jarrett, Jack Coatar, and Bruce Holt.
Congratulations
To Elle and Alex Riley on the birth of their son Carson Samuel Riley (6 lbs 12 ounces, and 20 inches).