MOScout Daily Update: Smith Enters Treas Race - Dinkins Antes $100K - Who's Helping Sensible MO - Malek $2M COH? and more...
Quick Friday update…
Dinkins Antes $100K
Rep. Chris Dinkins added $100,000 to her campaign committee yesterday as she announced she was considering running for Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder’s Senate 27 seat.
The primary is about a year away; we’ll see who steps up match her move.
And
One reader disputes the idea that the former Conservative Caucus will be as much of a force in this year’s Republican primaries… “The CC will have a candidate in every statewide race except LG and they might end up with one there. I doubt you see them worry about much beyond their own races this year and Jim Lembke’s exclusive focus will be on Bill Eigel.”
Smith Enters
House Budget Chair Cody Smith is officially in for the state treasurer’s race (see his website here). He made the announcement on the mighty Jason Rosenbaum’s Politically Speaking podcast.
· “I've worked a lot in fiscal policy and have had some success cutting taxes and eliminating public debt and balancing the state budget. And I’d like to continue to take that experience and work on fiscal policy from the state treasurer's office.”
· He also said he would push for changes to Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, a tax credit program for people who donate to organizations that financially assist students. “Most frustratingly, it gets restricted by geography… as an example: Children who live in my hometown of Carthage do not qualify because of where they live. But 12 miles away in the city of Joplin, those children do qualify. And I think that all Missourians deserve access to a world class education, regardless of their ZIP code.”
Meanwhile
Incumbent Vivek Malek is expected to file his candidate committee report today. Word is that he will have combined cash on-hand total (PAC + candidate) of over $2 million. Lots of ammo already stockpiled…
· I expect we’ll see Sen. Andrew Koenig hop into this primary as well.
Sensible MO Team
Sensible Missouri, the organization working to put an initiative petition on the ballot to reform gun laws, recorded a few large contributions…
· $15,250 from the law firm of Kistner, Hamilton, Elam & Martin.
· $10,000 from the marketing firm of TOKY Branding + Design 3141.
These were not cash contributions, but rather in-kind donations, showing that these firms are helping on a pro bono or discounted basis.
Bell Endorsements
St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell announced some new endorsements. They are some police and fire chiefs in St. Louis County.
· Those endorsing include North County Police Cooperative Chief John Buchanan; Charles “Chuck” Thal, Executive Director, North St Louis County Police Chiefs Association; Chief Aaron Jimenez, St Ann; Chief Anthony Huckleberry, Pagedale; Andre Anderson, former Ferguson chief of police; Jason Armstrong, former Ferguson chief of police; Chief Quinten Randolph, Northeast Ambulance and Fire District; and Chief Kevin Stuart, Kinloch Fire Department.
What It Means
No game-changers here. So far, Bell is positioning himself as a regional candidate, not a statewide candidate.
WSJ on Rental Resets
Wall Street Journal reports on low-income housing going to market-rate as they roll off their 30-year subsidy agreements. Read it here.
· The U.S. is at risk of losing nearly 200,000 affordable housing units over the next five years, as government protections end at hundreds of rental properties and landlords become free to set their own rents.
· The federal government relies on a 30-year tax credit as its main program to encourage developers to build affordable housing. Now a wave of agreements that assisted low-income renters is set to expire, offering landlords the option to charge market rate for their units instead of continuing with the government program.
Lobbyists Registrations
Nexus Group added ACCEL Schools.
Brad Thielemier deleted Missouri State Troopers Association.
$5K+ Contributions
Friends For Chris Dodson Dinkins - $100,000 from Christina Dinkins.
MO Energy Dev Association Gateway Political Action Committee - $20,000 from Ameren Missouri.
MO Energy Dev Association Gateway Political Action Committee - $13,333 from Missouri American Water Employees PAC.
Missouri Energy Development Association Political Action Committee - $20,000 from Ameren Missouri.
Missouri Energy Development Association Political Action Committee - $10,000 from Evergy Metro, Inc.
Missouri Energy Development Association Political Action Committee - $13,333 from Missouri American Water Employees PAC.
MO Energy Dev Association State Line Political Committee - $20,000 from Ameren Missouri.
MO Energy Dev Association State Line Political Committee - $13,333 from Missouri American Water Employees PAC.
SensibleMo - $15,250 from Kistner, Hamilton, Elam & Martin, LLC.
SensibleMo - $10,000 from TOKY Branding + Design 3141.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to David Winton, and Jeremy Snyder.