MOScout Daily Update: House TAFPs Huge Ed Bill - ESOP for Ashcroft - Hatfield for Hough - Patterson Meme - Schroer Video and more…
Quick Friday update…
Huge Education Bill to Governor’s Desk
The House squeaked through a major education bill yesterday. Education reformers celebrated as the bill expanded the state’s educational saving accounts, and charter schools. But there were lots of other provisions, including more money for traditional public schools in the form of a revamped foundation formula, as well as higher minimum teacher salaries.
The total cost for the bill was estimated at over $400 million annually, leading to charges that it was fiscally irresponsible.
· Three Democrats – Reps. Steve Butz, Chantelle Nickson-Clark and Marlene Terry – joined Republicans to pull the bill across the finish line.
ESOP for Ashcroft
The Ethical Society of Police, the union that traditionally represents Black St. Louis City police officers, endorsed Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft for governor.
“To us, this endorsement is about people over politics. We are not choosing a political party, rather we are choosing the opportunity to be an effective part of policy change for our members, citizens and officers across the State of Missouri. We will never agree on every issue with any candidate or elected official, but we agree with Jay Ashcroft on the urgency of police reform and the cost of inaction to the real people who are impacted every day…”
· The endorsement comes as Ashcroft announced his latest policy positions on public safety, which includes the state control of St. Louis City coppers.
Malek Priority Passes
State Treasurer Vivek Malek gets a nice win as his priority bill heads to the governor's desk. The Senate third-read House Bill 1803 on Thursday. It expands the MOBUCK$ linked-deposit loan program's aggregate cap to $1.2 billion from the current $800 million. Malek has been the leading MOBUCK$ apostle, traveling to scores of counties in recent months to promote the program that provides a break on loan interest for qualified borrowers.
Seems like a good bet that Governor Mike Parson, who appointed Malek as State Treasurer and supports him in the August 6 GOP primary, will enact the expansion into law.
· Malek lauded HB1803’s sponsor, Rep. Terry Thompson, and the Senate handler, Sen. Sandy Crawford.
Hatfield Hearts Hough
Interesting to see SuperAttorney Chuck Hatfield on Sen. Lincoln Hough’s latest campaign finance report. Hatfield is a life-long Democrat. He was chief of staff to Jay Nixon back during Nixon’s days as attorney general.
Patterson Meme
Post-Dispatch reports on Speaker Dean Plocher’s brief press conference. Plocher stormed out after he warned reporters he didn’t want to talk about the Ethics Committee, and yet they asked him about the Ethics Committee anyway. Read it here.
It was the sight of a stunned Floor Leader Jon Patterson that drew chuckles from the capitol crowd…
· Live shot of Patterson questioning his life choices as Dean throws a fit.
· Patterson standing there with his arms to his side like he just saw a car crash is what makes this art.
Finally
Sen. Nick Schroer made this funny video, following up on the Dog Doo-Doo brownies incident this week.
Lobbyists Registrations
James Harris added Enhanced Capital Partners.
$5K+ Contributions
Missourians for Truth in Petitioning (anti-Ozark casino) - $89,951 from Strategic Capital Consultants, LLC.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Jean Peters Baker, Bill Stouffer, Sylvester Taylor, and Bert Atkins.