MOScout Daily Update: Special Details (and Landmines) - The Return of the Jetton? - Richey Proposes Speaker's Council and more...

Special Session Coming

Governor Mike Parson formally issued his call for a special session to cut the state income tax and extend agriculture tax credits.

Read the call here.  What we learned from Parson’s press conference…

·       The session will begin Tuesday September 6. 

·       Parson expects both topics to be covered in one single bill, and for that bill to originate in the Senate.

I can’t imagine that this will be a troublesome affair.  Cutting taxes is a core issue for Republicans and there’s plenty of money in the budget right now.  Sen. Bill Eigel has said he’s on board, and Sen. Lincoln Hough will introduce the bill on the Senate side.  That would seem to bridge the rifts in the Senate.

However, I spoke to one lobbyist who sees nothing but landmines…

·       The fact that the governor couldn’t say would be handling the bill in either chamber means his team hasn’t secured a firm roadmap for the special.

·       Minority Leader Crystal Quade signals her opposition.

·       We are at “peak power” for Speaker-elect Dean Plocher. He’s still ascendent and hasn’t ticked anyone off with committee assignments yet. If he wants to influence this package – make it larger, change its composition – he could alter the course of the special.

·       Conservative Caucus may be “disbanded,” but chaos in the special would help their narrative that the current Senate leadership can’t manage the body. “They can’t even pass the governor’s tax cut?!”

·       Conservative Caucus may be “disbanded,” but have they been weaned of their impulse to create “scorecard votes” with wedge issue amendments?

·       Will we see the revenge of Bill White (attacking those who backed his primary opponent)?  The revenge of Bob Onder (retaliating against the governor who vetoed the St. Charles airport)?

A Reminder About Missouri’s #1 Industry

Governor Mike Parson referred to agriculture as Missouri’s “#1 industry.”  This is common moniker on the House floor where legislators say it casually, the way you might say your neighbor is the best griller in the neighborhood. Is he really?  No, you’re just being nice.

So, for the record, agriculture is not Missouri’s biggest industry. 

And, Parson’s special session call says that agriculture employs “nearly 460,000.”  That’s fantastical.  I can only imagine whoever came up with that number just started adding in anything dealing with food, like all restaurant workers etc.  The real number, according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) is around 30,000.

Richey Proposes “Speaker’s Council”

In an email to the House Republican Caucus, Rep. Doug Richey says that if he becomes speaker he will institute a “Speaker’s Council.”

I plan to constitute a Speaker's Council. The council will provide a context for discussion and reflection among a cross-section of our caucus. Participants, being broadly trusted within our caucus, will help to flesh out competing caucus priorities, prepare for needed reactions to unexpected issues, and manage/protect against the general pressure points that we all know exist. This effort will require a commitment of time from me as well as the council members, but I believe it's necessary for collaboration, communication, and unity. More will be said about this as we progress to next September, but it's good for you to know about my intention.

And

On the matter of the current hot Floor Leader race, Richey writes, “Conversations are buzzing about the Floor Leader race and the way in which it may or may not affect my effort. For the record, I believe our caucus is best served by selecting the most competent person for Floor Leader. Whether that person chooses to run for Speaker or not, is not my concern. Those running for Floor Leader are friends, are well intentioned, and worthy of our consideration. I don't play games and have consistently expressed my desire for members to vote for the next Floor Leader, without any personal strategy in the mix. Just thought you might need to know.”

Rumorville: Jetton Returns to Jeff City

I’m told that former Speaker Rod Jetton has very recently taken a job in the Department of Revenue.

Jetton was a state representative from 2000 – 2008 during which time he became speaker as Republicans took control of the House. In 2009, scandals forced Jetton’s exit from political life.

eMailbag on EV Economy

Great coverage of the EV tax credits and the opportunity for MO in the economic development realm in clean energy and battery development… The problem for MO, none of our current economic development tax incentive programs included clean energy manufacturing. The bottoms line, the state is ‘handcuffed’ in how many tax incentives could be offered to lure this type of manufacturing. I understand the current incentives would need to be amended by the general assembly. It's not on the agenda for the special session. I'm not sure it's on the administration's radar...

Help Wanted

Missouri Chamber of Commerce seeks Director of Communications. “This person will collaborate with internal stakeholders to guide the Missouri Chamber’s outreach efforts to a variety of audiences, including businesses, prospects, legislators, government leaders, local chamber executives and more. This person will work at the Missouri Chamber’s headquarters in Jefferson City.”  See more information here.

Lobbyists Registrations

Sarah Wood Martin added OTGEXP, and Kinder Morgan.

Matthew Weinstein added Cheyne Capital US, LP.

Steven Tilley, Thomas Robbins, Brittany Hyatt Robbins, and Christopher Schoeman added Good Day Farms.

$5K+ Contributions

MO Pork-PAC - $75,000 from Smithfield Foods.

Kingdom Leadership PAC - $10,000 from Quality Schools Coalition.

JCDC Truman PAC - $10,000 from UAW Region 4 Midwest States.

Birthdays

Happy birthday to Neil Swanson.