MOScout Daily Update: Appointment Chatter - NYTimes on Sports Betting - Raising Teacher Pay and more...
Chatter on Gubby Appts
The twin openings for state treasurer and attorney general are the subject of chatter while JeffCity waits for Governor Mike Parson to make the appointments. Here’s the talk…
AG
Parson’s general counsel Andrew Bailey, previously assumed to be the front-runner for the AG spot, may be having second thoughts. One source says he’s unenthusiastic as he thinks about having to run for re-election in 2024 against what could be some formidable opposition. Instead, his preference would be to land in the relatively calm waters of the Missouri Supreme Court.
Folks who could make his 2024 re-elect an obstacle course…
· Will Scharf – Assistant US Attorney, and previously policy director under Eric Greitens, with ties to national groups that would help amass a war-chest for a statewide campaign.
· Tim Garrison – Former US Attorney, recently got a plug from arch-conservative Hugh Hewitt: Publicly vetted, unanimously confirmed US Attorney… Combat veteran. Committed conservative. Christian family man. Proven leader…
· Kurt Schaefer – Tagged on social media by GOP donor Jen Bukowsky yesterday: Here's who I'd love to see Governor Mike Parson appoint as AG... He's an excellent attorney and knows the AGO…
Treasurer
The talk has focused on Kalena Bruce with whispers that Sandy Crawford and Chris Chinn have declined the appointment.
Now one MOScouter says “I think it’s a mistake to assume Parson will pick a woman for treasurer. Nothing he has done or said in his tenure indicates that this will be the case. It’s mostly the assumptions of insiders based on practicality rather than history and cause.” This person says Rep. Michael O’Donnell is “a natural for the job.”
· 32+ years career experience in investments, municipal finance, and banking.
· 17+ years as an intelligence analyst/officer, currently serving as a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy Reserve.
· Experience on the Budget, Financial Institutions, and Pensions committees. He’s carried many pieces of legislation for the current treasurer.
And
As I wrote a week ago, the clock is ticking on these appointees to set up their office and prepare the transition by January. Assuming we don’t get quick appointments ahead of the holiday weekend, we’re bumping into December…
Teacher Pay
Springfield News Leader reports on raising Missouri teacher pay. The goal is to give MO teachers a base of $38K/year. This could be a topic next session. Read it here.
· In mid-December, the state board will look at goals for the upcoming legislative session. Nearly all of the changes sought by the commission will require additional state funds or revisions in state law.
· For example, the minimum salary required by state law for a teacher is just $25,000, lower than neighboring states and the rest of the U.S.
· The state, in an effort to get districts to voluntarily raise the minimum to $38,000, offered to pay 70% of the cost to bridge the gap between what teachers were making and that benchmark. Districts still had to come up with the other 30% and there was no guarantee the funds will be available next year…
· Missouri's average starting pay of $33,234 was ranked No. 50 in the nation in 2021-22.
NYTimes on Sports Betting
Ahead of likely more debate on sports betting next session. Here’s a New York Times piece on some of the shortcomings of the industry.
· The gambling industry used dubious data to push to legalize sports betting, in part by predicting states would be greeted by gushers of new tax revenue. A Times analysis of the industry’s claims found that many of the projections, at least so far, have been wildly optimistic…
· That is in part because lawmakers handed gambling companies lucrative tax exemptions. These exemptions essentially subsidized their efforts to lure customers with supposedly risk-free bets and other promotions…
· To lure customers, gambling companies have struck envelope-pushing partnerships. For example, The Times found that companies have paid at least eight universities to let them promote gambling on campus. In a deal between the betting company PointsBet and the University of Colorado Boulder, for example, each time someone downloads the PointsBet app and uses a special promotional code, the university pockets a $30 fee…
· The federal government doesn’t regulate sports betting. A Times survey of states that have legalized such betting found that the enforcement of rules has been haphazard, that punishments have tended to be light or nonexistent and that regulators are counting on the industry to police itself…
Lobbyists Registrations
Leroy Grant added Wallis Companies, and Redbird Carriers.
Sam Saffa added Hy-Vee Inc.
Richard McIntosh added Coast Energy, and Alquist; and deleted yes. every kid., Inc.
$5K+ Contributions
American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $50,000 from Joe Machens.
American Dream PAC - $10,000 from Hutcheson Ford Sales Inc.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Therese Sander.
MOScout Schedule
After tomorrow’s update, I’ll be off for the rest of the week.