MOScout Daily Update: Election Day - Dems Shake Fist at Faber - Kunce $$ Record - Scharf on Trump Indictment and more...
Election Day
Municipal elections are happening now across the state today. Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon tells Columbia Tribune that April elections are harder to run than November elections. “The biggest challenge with April elections is that there are so many more districts involved in the election, which leads to more ballot styles. While the turnout is generally lower, we have to create far more ballot styles than we do in a November election. Because of that, it’s a more complicated election than a general election.”
Here are a few of the items some folks will be watching.
· Lots of municipalities will be voting to add an additional tax on marijuana.
· In St. Louis City… Rep. Rasheen Aldridge is in a run-off with Ebony Washington (niece of lobbyist Rodney Hubbard) to be the next alderman of the City’s 14 Ward. Yesterday Aldridge accused the Washington campaign of sending homophobic messages.
· In Jefferson City… Lobbyists Brad Bates is running for re-election to the Jefferson City School Board, and lobbyist Mark Schwartz is running for City Council and lobbyist Ron Fitzwater is running unopposed for mayor.
· In Springfield… Conservatives Landon McCarter and Chad Rollins are running against Judy Brunner and incumbent Shurita Thomas-Tate. Springfield News Leader has reported on conservatives hope to take a majority of the school board with this election.
And all across the state there are scores of small local tax increases and bond issues on the ballot. These have gained the ire of some conservatives in the legislature, but are generally (not always by any means) supported by local constituencies. A quick (and small) sample…
· Hospital tax increase for benefit of the ambulance services for Bates County Memorial Hospital
· Additional levy to support Waynesville Rural Fire Protection District.
· Ash Grove School District Bond Issue
· Marshall Public School District is asking for a $.99 raise to annual property tax through the year 2049 for capital improvements.
· A tax to increase staff wages, with a primary focus on pay increase for staff with advanced degrees in St. James R-I School District
· Imposing 1% sales tax to out of state purchases only, for City of Chesterfield services.
· Nixa Public Schools issuance of general obligation bonds in the amount of $47 million.
· Board of Education of Carthage R9 School District issue general obligation bonds for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, improving, furnishing, and equipping a performing arts center, baseball field.
· Increase the authorized tax levy to assist in funding the replacement of ambulances and maintain services of Audrain Ambulance District.
· Extension of current levy which will allow funding to build a new agricultural learning center in Neosho R-V School District.
· An extension of a 1/16th of one cent sales tax for parks (capital improvements) in City of Rolla.
Dems Irate at Baptist Lobbyist
· All 10 Democratic members of the Missouri Senate signed a letter Monday urging Gov. Mike Parson to remove the chair of the Missouri Commission on Human Rights over his recent public statements in opposition to LGBTQ-rights legislation.
· Timothy Faber, a lobbyist for the Missouri Baptist Convention, testified in a Senate committee hearing last week about a bill that would amend Missouri’s Nondiscrimination Act to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Faber used biblical references to argue that the bill infringed on “religious liberty.” He did not disclose his position as chair of the Missouri Commission on Human Rights until he was asked directly about it by a Senator.
· During his testimony, he referred to the commission as “they” while arguing that the legislation would lead to more lawsuits that the commission would have to handle… Faber said he did not come to testify on behalf of the commissions but confirmed his position as chair.
· Read the letter Sen. Doug Beck sent to Parson (signed by all Dem senators) here.
· Listen to the testimony here.
Calendar Watch
Pro Tem Caleb Rowden referred another 100 Senate bills yesterday. After this week, there’s five weeks left in session…
March Revenues Flat
State tax receipts for March were mostly flat rising 3.5%. Year-to-fiscal-date, state revenues are still galloping ahead, up 11.8%
But fears loom that tougher comparisons are now at our doorstep.
Budget Director Dan Haug noted earlier this year that the meh 2022 financial markets would result in lower capital gains for Missourians and therefore lower tax receipts for the state. That should show up this month in lower individual income tax receipts.
Gross Moves from Exploratory to Official AG Run
Elad Gross announced yesterday that he will indeed run for attorney general.
We launched an exploratory campaign in March to see if we had support to run, and, thanks to the support of folks all over the state, we met both of our exploratory goals: Raise $25,000 and recruit 50 volunteers in 3 weeks. We’re still counting the totals, but we we raised at least $27,000 and recruited over 300 volunteers… [O]nce we win this election, I will start Missouri’s first Civil Rights Division at the Attorney General’s Office, enforce our government transparency laws, stop fraudulent corporations from preying on Missourians, and end Missouri’s status as the puppy mill capital of the country.
· Gross faces Rep. Sarah Unsicker in the Democratic primary.
· Find Gross’ website here.
Scharf on Trump Indictment
AG candidate Will Scharf gives his take on today’s indictment of President Donald Trump. Read it here.
· It is a lynchpin of all modern democracies that law enforcement should not, and cannot, be weaponized to achieve nakedly political ends. But what we have seen since President Trump's election in 2016 is a systematic undermining of this norm by the American Left…
· It is in this context that we must view Alvin Bragg's rush to indict President Trump over the political equivalent of a traffic ticket—seven-year-old alleged bookkeeping offenses that federal prosecutors have repeatedly declined to prosecute, and which are now time-barred anyway. Bragg's objective is clear, and it has nothing to do with enforcing state or federal law regarding business records and campaign finance reports. He intends to substitute himself and his view of President Trump for that of the American people, handicapping President Trump's efforts to seek re-election right as the 2024 election cycle gets underway. This is nothing more than a naked power grab, and it is one that all Americans, Republican and Democrat, Trump supporter and Trump detractor, should reject….
Kunce Sets New Record
Press release: Marine veteran Lucas Kunce has set a new fundraising record in the state of Missouri with a whopping $1.1M+ haul in the first quarter of 2023. This is the most money ever raised by a Missouri challenger to a Senate incumbent in their first quarter of fundraising… Kunce has built a truly grassroots movement — 97% of donors gave $200 or less. The average donation was $34. And not a single penny was raised from corporate PACs.
Faith Leaders in Support of LGBTQ
Playing catch-up on this. From last week, dozens of faith leaders took out an advertisement in the Tribune to express their disapproval of anti-LGBTQ legislation. See it here.
“As faith leaders who represent a diversity of understandings, traditions and beliefs we raise our voices to oppose the dozens of laws proposed against the LGBTQIA+ community this session.”
Lobbyists Registrations
John Dustin Backes added SAS Institute Inc.
Gamble & Schlemeier added JNI Hauling LLC.
$5K+ Contributions
American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $11,000 from Mary Schrag.
American Dream PAC - $5,001 from JB PAC.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Jessica Petrie Thelemaque, Theresa Garza, and former St. Louis City Alderman Matt Villa.
Congratulations
To Kayla and Jay Hahn on the birth of Cate Grace Hahn. 5lbs 12oz & 18 1/2in.