MOScout Daily Update: January Revenues - State's IT Woes - MOScout's Snow Day Cheat and more...

The Need for IT Upgrades

Missouri Independent reports on the need to upgrade the state’s technology.  Read it here.

·         Missouri’s safety-net technology woes are well documented. A 2019 McKinsey assessment of the state’s Medicaid program noted the system was made up of about 70 components, partially developed within a mainframe from 1979, that was “not positioned to meet both current and future needs.” In a 2020 report for the state, Department of Social Services staffers called the benefits enrollment process “siloed” and “built on workarounds,” while participants called it “dehumanizing.”

The reporter offered this interesting tweet as well…

·         This budget request from @DSS_Missouri  caught my eye: The department that oversees safety net programs like Medicaid and nutrition assistance receives 50,000 documents per WEEK, all entered manually. Automating that process would save 1,500 staff hours. Seems important...

There has been vocal bipartisan support for investing in the state’s lagging tech.  So, we’ll see…

January Revenues

State tax revenues rose again in January though at a more modest pace.  The actual results are obscured by a reporting error last month.  To compensate, the sales and use tax were corrected by an enormous sum.  But by ignoring that, individual income tax – one of the largest drivers of tax receipts – moved up 4.8% higher from a year ago.

Fiscal-year-to-date state tax receipts remain above last year’s pace when there was an extra Tax Day collection.

Kunce Hiring

As we head into the final six months of the primary season Democrat Lucas Kunce is hiring.  A look at his campaign webpage for staff shows a lot of positions available.  Kunce has a big money lead on Scott Sifton, and appears to be ready to deploy some of that cash to put boots on the ground.

And now a Snow Day cheat: just turn it over to the mail bag….

eMailbag on Senate-Gov Fight

·         The Gov looks weak AF. Not only did he get played, but he got played by Mike Moon.  On the other hand, what does the CC get out of this? Is there a strategy, or are they just being a$$holes?

·         Sure seems like at some point they should realize they’re gonna get flanked from the right as RINOs no matter what this point (for voting for gas tax, PDMP, 6-2 map, etc) and their best bet now is to stand up and publicly call the crazies what they are (and get some good things done for the state and their constituents). Instead they just continue to feed the lies that keep their voters ready to vote for the craziest person on the ballot instead of common sense because they’re afraid to speak the truth - and they will pay the consequences both politically and as our state crumbles.

·         Ah so sad when the mess you created consumes you.

·         It was a dick move for the Senate not to allow the nomination to be returned. Poor Don is now unemployed and has been unnecessarily embarrassed…

eMailbag on Schatz’ Million

Schatz needs more than just money—he needs time and other conservative accomplishments to distract from his relatively moderate record. He isn’t using his final year in the Senate to accomplish this.

eMailbag on CD-4

You seem to keep giving short shrift to Taylor Burks in CD-4. He’s got an uphill climb for sure, but he is out working everyone else in that race by 10x, and his small dollar donations are crushing it.

New Committees

VozKC was formed.  It’s a federal PAC.  Its treasurer is Ivonne Hernandez Lopez. See the paperwork here.  See the VozKC website here.

Lobbyists Registrations

Jeffrey Altmann added The Basketball Movement.

Emily Marie LeRoy added Missouri Farm Bureau.

$5K+ Contributions

Page PAC - $25,000 from Sam and Marilyn Fox General Expense Account.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Justin Alferman, Jason Crowell, Dave Hinson, Warren Love, Kent Hampton, and Paul Fehler.